Drink of the Week: The Patiala Peg – How to Make It
Tale claims that back in 1920, the Maharaja of Patiala, was determined that his team would triumph over a visiting English squad. For a competitive edge, he hosted a splendid party on the eve of the match, where he served his guests the legendary Patiala pegs. These were incredibly large four-finger measure whisky servings, traditionally measured from little finger to forefinger. Predictably, the English players drank too much, resulting in them being extremely the worse for wear and, consequently, vanquished the day after. Thus, the story of the Patiala peg was born.
This inspired spin on the old fashioned is inspired by that original beverage. At the restaurant, we present it from a custom-made large-format bottle, but we've modified the instructions to make it better suited for a home setting.
Patiala Peg
Produces 1 litre, enough for 10-12 drinks.
Ingredients
- 725g blended scotch whisky
- 130g sugar syrup (1:1)
- 6g Angostura bitters (approximately 1⅓ tsp)
- 1g orange bitters (about ⅕ tsp)
- A pinch of salt
- 2g xanthan gum powder
Method
Put everything in a big container. Add 130g water, agitate thoroughly, then put it in the fridge. It can be stored for about three weeks.
For serving, pour about 90ml of the infused whisky into a rocks glass packed with ice (preferably one large cube). Enjoy straight away. To honour tradition, you could use the four-finger measure for authenticity.
