Cocktail for This Week: The Patiala Peg Cocktail – Recipe
Tale suggests that in 1920, Bhupinder Singh, was set that his cricket team would triumph over a touring English side. For a competitive edge, he hosted a splendid party on the eve of the match, where he offered his guests the notorious Patiala pegs. These were incredibly substantial four-finger measure whisky pours, historically gauged from pinky to index finger. As expected, the English players partook excessively, resulting in them being extremely hungover and, inevitably, beaten the following day. And so, the myth of the Patiala peg originated.
This Punjabi spin on the Old Fashioned cocktail takes its cue from Singh's concoction. In our establishment, we serve it from a bespoke large-format bottle, but we've adjusted the formula to make it more suitable for a home kitchen.
Patiala Peg
Produces 1 litre, to serve 10-12 drinks.
You Will Need
- 725g blended Scotch
- 130g sugar syrup (1:1)
- 6g Angostura bitters (about 1⅓ tsp)
- 1g orange bitters (about ⅕ tsp)
- A pinch of salt
- 2g xanthan gum
Instructions
Combine everything in a big container. Include 130g water, stir until fully incorporated, then place it in the refrigerator. It will now keep for about 21 days.
When ready to drink, measure out about 90ml of the prepared cocktail into a old fashioned glass filled with ice (traditionally one big block). Drink straight away. For a traditional touch, you could measure it in by hand for authenticity.
