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

Folklore has it that back in 1920, Bhupinder Singh, was set that his team would win over a touring English squad. To gain the upper hand, he organized a grand party the night before the match, where he served his guests the legendary Patiala pegs. These were incredibly large four-finger whisky servings, traditionally poured from little finger to index finger. Unsurprisingly, the English players partook excessively, leaving them very the worse for wear and, inevitably, vanquished the following day. In this way, the legend of the Patiala peg was born.

This Punjabi variation of Old Fashioned cocktail is inspired by Singh's drink. In our establishment, we offer it from a bespoke five-litre bottle, but we've adapted the instructions to make it more suitable for a household setting.

Patiala Peg

Produces 1 litre, to serve 10-12 people.

What's Required

• 725g blended Scotch
• 130g sugar syrup (1:1)
• 6g Angostura aromatic bitters (about 1⅓ tsp)
• 1g orange-flavoured bitters (about ⅕ tsp)
• A pinch of salt
• 2g xanthan gum

Instructions

Combine all the ingredients in a big container. Include 130g water, agitate thoroughly, then place it in the refrigerator. You can store it for up to 21 days.

When ready to drink, pour about 90ml of the infused whisky into a old fashioned glass packed with ice (ideally one big block). Serve promptly. To honour tradition, you could measure it in by hand for authenticity.