Drink of the Week: The Patiala Peg – Recipe
Legend suggests that back in 1920, Bhupinder Singh, was adamant that his cricket team would triumph over a touring English team. For a competitive edge, he hosted a grand party the night before the match, where he presented his guests the famous Patiala pegs. These are notoriously large four-finger measure whisky pours, historically measured from little finger to index finger. Predictably, the English players partook excessively, leaving them terribly hungover and, inevitably, vanquished the next day. Thus, the story of the Patiala peg originated.
This Punjabi variation of old fashioned is inspired by Singh's concoction. In our establishment, we present it from a bespoke five-litre bottle, but we've modified the recipe to make it better suited for a domestic setting.
The Patiala Peg Recipe
Produces 1 litre, enough for 10-12 drinks.
What's Required
- 725g blended Scotch
- 130g sugar syrup (1:1)
- 6g Angostura aromatic bitters (approximately 1⅓ tsp)
- 1g orange-flavoured bitters (approximately ⅕ tsp)
- A small pinch of salt
- 2g xanthan gum powder
Method
Put all the ingredients in a large bottle. Include 130g water, mix to combine, then place it in the refrigerator. You can store it for about 21 days.
To serve, measure out approximately 90ml of the prepared cocktail into a rocks glass containing ice (preferably one large cube). Enjoy immediately. For a traditional touch, you could pour it using your fingers as they did.
