Cocktail of the Week: The Patiala Peg – How to Make It

Folklore has it that back in 1920, Bhupinder Singh, was adamant that his team would win over a touring English squad. 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 are famously large four-finger measure whisky servings, traditionally measured from little finger to forefinger. Unsurprisingly, the English players partook excessively, leaving them terribly hungover and, consequently, beaten the following day. In this way, the myth of the Patiala peg came to be.

This take on a spin on the Old Fashioned cocktail takes its cue from that original beverage. Here, we offer it from a bespoke large-format bottle, but we've adjusted the recipe to make it more suitable for a home setting.

The Patiala Peg Recipe

Makes 1 litre, serving 10-12 people.

You Will Need

• 725g Scotch whisky blend
• 130g sugar syrup
• 6g Angostura bitters (about 1⅓ tsp)
• 1g orange-flavoured bitters (approximately ⅕ tsp)
• A small pinch of salt
• 2g xanthan gum

Method

Place all the ingredients in a large bottle. Pour in 130g water, mix until fully incorporated, then transfer it in the refrigerator. It will now keep for up to three weeks.

For serving, dispense roughly 90ml of the Patiala peg mixture into a old fashioned glass filled with ice (ideally one big block). Serve immediately. If you're feeling traditional, you could measure it in by hand instead.