Drink of the Week: The Patiala Peg Cocktail – Recipe
Tale suggests that in 1920, Bhupinder Singh, was determined that his team would triumph over a visiting English side. To secure an advantage, he organized a splendid party the night before the match, at which he served his guests the famous Patiala pegs. These are notoriously substantial four-finger measure whisky servings, traditionally poured from pinky to forefinger. Predictably, the English players drank too much, resulting in them being very hungover and, consequently, beaten the following day. Thus, the myth of the Patiala peg was born.
This Punjabi spin on the Old Fashioned cocktail takes its cue from that original beverage. Here, we present it from a specially crafted large-format bottle, but we've adapted the recipe to make it more suitable for a domestic environment.
The Patiala Peg Recipe
Yields 1 litre, enough for 10-12 people.
What's Required
- 725g Scotch whisky blend
- 130g simple syrup
- 6g Angostura bitters (approximately 1â…“ tsp)
- 1g orange-flavoured bitters (approximately â…• tsp)
- A small pinch of salt
- 2g xanthan gum powder
Instructions
Combine all the ingredients in a sizeable jug. Include 130g water, stir thoroughly, then transfer it in the refrigerator. It can be stored for up to 21 days.
For serving, pour approximately 90ml of the Patiala peg mixture into a old fashioned glass packed with ice (preferably one big block). Enjoy promptly. To honour tradition, you could use the four-finger measure instead.
