Cocktail for This Week: The Patiala Peg Cocktail – Recipe
Legend has it that during 1920, Bhupinder Singh, was adamant that his cricket team would win over a visiting English squad. To gain the upper hand, he threw a splendid party the night before the match, where he served his guests the famous Patiala pegs. These are famously large four-finger measure whisky servings, traditionally measured from pinky to forefinger. Unsurprisingly, the English players partook excessively, resulting in them being very the worse for wear and, inevitably, defeated the following day. In this way, the myth of the Patiala peg was born.
This take on a spin on the Old Fashioned cocktail is inspired by the Maharaja's beverage. At the restaurant, we present it from a specially crafted five-litre bottle, but we've modified the instructions to make it more suitable for a household setting.
Patiala Peg
Produces 1 litre, serving 10-12 people.
You Will Need
- 725g blended Scotch
- 130g simple syrup
- 6g Angostura bitters (approximately 1⅓ tsp)
- 1g orange bitters (approximately ⅕ tsp)
- A small pinch of salt
- 2g xanthan gum
Method
Put everything in a sizeable jug. Add 130g water, mix to combine, then place it in the fridge. It can be stored for as long as a few weeks.
For serving, dispense about 90ml of the prepared cocktail into a short glass containing ice (preferably one big block). Enjoy straight away. For a traditional touch, you could pour it using your fingers instead.
