Drink This Week: The Patiala Peg – Recipe
Tale suggests that in 1920, the Maharaja of Patiala, was adamant that his team would win over a touring English side. For a competitive edge, he threw a splendid party the night before the match, at which he served his guests the notorious Patiala pegs. These were incredibly generous four-finger whisky servings, customarily gauged from pinky to forefinger. Predictably, the English players partook excessively, resulting in them being extremely the worse for wear and, inevitably, vanquished the next day. In this way, the myth of the Patiala peg was born.
This take on a variation of Old Fashioned cocktail takes its cue from the Maharaja's drink. At the restaurant, we serve it from a bespoke five-litre bottle, but we've modified the recipe to make it more suitable for a household setting.
Patiala Peg
Yields 1 litre, to serve 10-12 drinks.
What's Required
- 725g blended Scotch
- 130g sugar syrup
- 6g Angostura bitters (about 1⅓ tsp)
- 1g orange bitters (about ⅕ tsp)
- A pinch of salt
- 2g xanthan gum powder
Method
Put all the ingredients in a large bottle. Add 130g water, stir to combine, then transfer it in the fridge. It will now keep for about three weeks.
To serve, pour about 90ml of the infused whisky into a old fashioned glass containing ice (ideally one large cube). Drink immediately. If you're feeling traditional, you could pour it using your fingers instead.
