Cocktail This Week: The Patiala Peg Cocktail – Recipe
Tale suggests that during 1920, the Maharaja of Patiala, was set that his cricket team would succeed over a visiting English side. For a competitive edge, he organized a grand party the night before the match, where he served his guests the famous Patiala pegs. These were famously large four-finger whisky pours, customarily measured from little finger to index finger. Predictably, the English players drank too much, resulting in them being extremely hungover and, inevitably, defeated the following day. Thus, the legend of the Patiala peg was born.
This inspired kind-of Old Fashioned cocktail takes its cue from that original beverage. Here, we offer it from a custom-made five-litre bottle, but we've adapted the recipe to make it easier for a household environment.
The Patiala Peg Recipe
Makes 1 litre, to serve 10-12 portions.
What's Required
- 725g blended Scotch
- 130g sugar syrup
- 6g Angostura aromatic bitters (approximately 1â…“ tsp)
- 1g orange-flavoured bitters (about â…• tsp)
- A small pinch of salt
- 2g xanthan gum powder
Preparation
Place all the ingredients in a big container. Include 130g water, stir to combine, then put it in the fridge. It can be stored for about three weeks.
When ready to drink, pour about 90ml of the Patiala peg mixture into a old fashioned glass filled with ice (ideally one big block). Enjoy promptly. For a traditional touch, you could use the four-finger measure as they did.
