Drink This Week: The Patiala Peg – How to Make It
Legend has it that back in 1920, Bhupinder Singh, was determined that his cricket team would triumph over a visiting English squad. To secure an advantage, he threw a grand party on the eve of the match, where he presented his guests the notorious Patiala pegs. These were famously substantial four-finger whisky pours, customarily measured from pinky to forefinger. As expected, the English players partook excessively, leaving them extremely hungover and, inevitably, vanquished the following day. Thus, the legend of the Patiala peg originated.
This take on a spin on the old fashioned takes its cue from that original concoction. At the restaurant, we offer it from a bespoke five-litre bottle, but we've modified the recipe to make it more suitable for a household kitchen.
Patiala Peg
Yields 1 litre, to serve 10-12 portions.
You Will Need
- 725g blended Scotch
- 130g sugar syrup (1:1)
- 6g Angostura bitters (about 1⅓ tsp)
- 1g orange-flavoured bitters (approximately ⅕ tsp)
- A small pinch of salt
- 2g xanthan gum powder
Method
Place all the ingredients in a big container. Pour in 130g water, mix thoroughly, then put it in the fridge. It will now keep for as long as 21 days.
For serving, dispense approximately 90ml of the infused whisky into a old fashioned glass packed with ice (traditionally one big block). Serve promptly. To honour tradition, you could pour it using your fingers as they did.
