Drink for This Week: The Patiala Peg Cocktail – How to Make It

Folklore suggests that in 1920, the Maharaja of Patiala, was determined that his team would triumph over a touring English team. To gain the upper hand, he organized a splendid party on the eve of the match, at which he presented his guests the legendary Patiala pegs. These were notoriously substantial four-finger measure whisky pours, historically poured from little finger to forefinger. Unsurprisingly, the English players partook excessively, leaving them terribly the worse for wear and, inevitably, vanquished the day after. Thus, the story of the Patiala peg came to be.

This Punjabi variation of old fashioned is inspired by the Maharaja's concoction. At the restaurant, we serve it from a bespoke five-litre bottle, but we've adapted the instructions to make it better suited for a household setting.

The Patiala Peg Recipe

Makes 1 litre, to serve 10-12 portions.

Ingredients

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

Preparation

Place everything in a big container. Add 130g water, mix thoroughly, then put it in the fridge. It will now keep for up to 21 days.

When ready to drink, measure out about 90ml of the prepared cocktail into a short glass filled with ice (preferably one large cube). Serve promptly. For a traditional touch, you could measure it in by hand for authenticity.