Drink for This Week: The Patiala Peg – How to Make It
Tale has it that in 1920, Bhupinder Singh, was determined that his team would succeed over a visiting English side. For a competitive edge, he threw a splendid party on the eve of the match, at which he presented his guests the legendary Patiala pegs. These were famously substantial four-finger whisky servings, customarily measured from little finger to forefinger. As expected, the English players drank too much, leaving them very hungover and, consequently, beaten the next day. In this way, the myth of the Patiala peg originated.
This inspired spin on the old fashioned draws inspiration from Singh's drink. In our establishment, we present it from a bespoke five-litre bottle, but we've adjusted the instructions to make it more suitable for a domestic setting.
Patiala Peg
Yields 1 litre, serving 10-12 people.
You Will Need
- 725g blended scotch whisky
- 130g sugar syrup (1:1)
- 6g Angostura aromatic bitters (about 1⅓ tsp)
- 1g orange bitters (about ⅕ tsp)
- A dash of salt
- 2g xanthan gum
Method
Combine all the ingredients in a sizeable jug. Pour in 130g water, mix to combine, then place it in the refrigerator. It can be stored for about three weeks.
For serving, measure out approximately 90ml of the prepared cocktail into a short glass containing ice (traditionally one large cube). Serve immediately. If you're feeling traditional, you could pour it using your fingers instead.
