Tale claims that back in 1920, the Maharaja of Patiala, was determined that his team would win over a touring English squad. To gain the upper hand, he hosted a splendid party the night before the match, at which he presented his guests the famous Patiala pegs. These were famously substantial four-finger measure whisky pours, traditionally poured from pinky to index finger. Unsurprisingly, the English players overindulged, resulting in them being very the worse for wear and, consequently, vanquished the next day. And so, the myth of the Patiala peg originated.
This take on a kind-of Old Fashioned cocktail is inspired by that original beverage. At the restaurant, we serve it from a specially crafted large-format bottle, but we've adapted the formula to make it more suitable for a home environment.
Patiala Peg
Yields 1 litre, serving 10-12 drinks.
Ingredients
- 725g Scotch whisky blend
- 130g simple syrup
- 6g Angostura aromatic bitters (approximately 1⅓ tsp)
- 1g orange-flavoured bitters (approximately ⅕ tsp)
- A pinch of salt
- 2g xanthan gum powder
Instructions
Combine everything in a big container. Pour in 130g water, mix thoroughly, then place it in the fridge. It can be stored for up to 21 days.
For serving, measure out approximately 90ml of the prepared cocktail into a old fashioned glass containing ice (traditionally one big block). Serve immediately. If you're feeling traditional, you could pour it using your fingers for authenticity.
