Drink of the Week: The Patiala Peg Cocktail – Recipe
Folklore has it that in 1920, the Maharaja of Patiala, was adamant that his team would succeed over a touring English squad. To secure an advantage, he organized a splendid party the night before the match, at which he served his guests the legendary Patiala pegs. These were incredibly large four-finger whisky servings, customarily gauged from little finger to forefinger. Unsurprisingly, the English players overindulged, leaving them very hungover and, inevitably, defeated the day after. Thus, the myth of the Patiala peg was born.
This take on a spin on the old fashioned takes its cue from the Maharaja's concoction. At the restaurant, we offer it from a custom-made large-format bottle, but we've modified the formula to make it better suited for a domestic environment.
Patiala Peg
Produces 1 litre, serving 10-12 portions.
Ingredients
- 725g blended scotch whisky
- 130g simple syrup
- 6g Angostura aromatic bitters (approximately 1⅓ tsp)
- 1g orange-flavoured bitters (approximately ⅕ tsp)
- A pinch of salt
- 2g xanthan gum powder
Instructions
Combine all the ingredients in a big container. Include 130g water, stir to combine, then put it in the fridge. It will now keep for about a few weeks.
To serve, measure out approximately 90ml of the prepared cocktail into a rocks glass packed with ice (preferably one big block). Drink straight away. For a traditional touch, you could measure it in by hand for authenticity.
