Drink of the Week: The Patiala Peg – Recipe
Tale claims that in 1920, Bhupinder Singh, was determined that his team would triumph over a touring English squad. To secure an advantage, he hosted a grand party the night before the match, at which he served his guests the notorious Patiala pegs. These were famously substantial four-finger whisky pours, traditionally poured from pinky to index finger. Predictably, the English players partook excessively, resulting in them being extremely the worse for wear and, inevitably, vanquished the next day. Thus, the myth of the Patiala peg originated.
This inspired variation of Old Fashioned cocktail is inspired by that original concoction. Here, we serve it from a specially crafted five-litre bottle, but we've modified the instructions to make it better suited for a household setting.
The Patiala Peg Recipe
Yields 1 litre, to serve 10-12 portions.
Ingredients
- 725g Scotch whisky blend
- 130g sugar syrup (1:1)
- 6g Angostura aromatic bitters (about 1⅓ tsp)
- 1g orange bitters (about ⅕ tsp)
- A small pinch of salt
- 2g xanthan gum
Method
Put all the ingredients in a sizeable jug. Add 130g water, stir thoroughly, then transfer it in the refrigerator. It will now keep for as long as a few weeks.
For serving, dispense roughly 90ml of the Patiala peg mixture into a rocks glass containing ice (preferably one large cube). Enjoy straight away. For a traditional touch, you could pour it using your fingers for authenticity.