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

Legend has it that in 1920, the Maharaja of Patiala, was determined that his cricket team would succeed over a touring English side. To secure an advantage, he organized a lavish party on the eve of the match, at which he served his guests the legendary Patiala pegs. These are incredibly substantial four-finger measure whisky pours, traditionally gauged from little finger to index finger. As expected, the English players partook excessively, resulting in them being terribly the worse for wear and, consequently, beaten the following day. In this way, the story of the Patiala peg originated.

This Punjabi variation of old fashioned draws inspiration from that original concoction. Here, we offer it from a custom-made large-format bottle, but we've adapted the formula to make it easier for a household kitchen.

The Patiala Peg Recipe

Yields 1 litre, to serve 10-12 portions.

You Will Need

  • 725g blended Scotch
  • 130g simple syrup
  • 6g Angostura bitters (approximately 1â…“ tsp)
  • 1g orange bitters (about â…• tsp)
  • A small pinch of salt
  • 2g xanthan gum

Instructions

Place all the ingredients in a sizeable jug. Add 130g water, stir thoroughly, then transfer it in the refrigerator. It can be stored for up to three weeks.

For serving, pour roughly 90ml of the infused whisky into a rocks glass filled with ice (traditionally one big block). Serve immediately. If you're feeling traditional, you could pour it using your fingers instead.

Clayton Baker
Clayton Baker

A seasoned gaming analyst with over a decade of experience in online casino reviews and player strategy development.