Cocktail of the Week: The Patiala Peg Cocktail – How to Make It
Tale suggests that in 1920, Bhupinder Singh, was adamant that his cricket team would succeed over a touring English team. For a competitive edge, he hosted a grand party on the eve of the match, at which he presented his guests the notorious Patiala pegs. These were notoriously generous four-finger measure whisky servings, historically gauged from little finger to index finger. Unsurprisingly, the English players partook excessively, leaving them terribly the worse for wear and, consequently, vanquished the day after. In this way, the myth of the Patiala peg originated.
This Punjabi variation of Old Fashioned cocktail is inspired by Singh's drink. At the restaurant, we serve it from a bespoke large-format bottle, but we've adjusted the instructions to make it better suited for a household environment.
The Patiala Peg Recipe
Makes 1 litre, enough for 10-12 portions.
What's Required
- 725g blended Scotch
- 130g simple syrup
- 6g Angostura aromatic bitters (approximately 1⅓ tsp)
- 1g orange bitters (approximately ⅕ tsp)
- A pinch of salt
- 2g xanthan gum powder
Instructions
Put everything in a sizeable jug. Include 130g water, mix to combine, then place it in the refrigerator. It can be stored for about a few weeks.
For serving, pour approximately 90ml of the prepared cocktail into a rocks glass containing ice (traditionally one large cube). Serve straight away. If you're feeling traditional, you could use the four-finger measure instead.
