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

Folklore has it that during 1920, Bhupinder Singh, was determined that his team would win over a touring English squad. To secure an advantage, he hosted a grand party the night before the match, at which he presented his guests the famous Patiala pegs. These are famously substantial four-finger measure whisky servings, traditionally poured from pinky to index finger. Unsurprisingly, the English players overindulged, leaving them very hungover and, inevitably, vanquished the next day. Thus, the legend of the Patiala peg was born.

This Punjabi kind-of Old Fashioned cocktail takes its cue from Singh's beverage. In our establishment, we offer it from a bespoke five-litre bottle, but we've adjusted the recipe to make it easier for a domestic kitchen.

The Patiala Peg Recipe

Produces 1 litre, serving 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

Method

Put all the ingredients in a big container. Pour in 130g water, stir to combine, then transfer it in the refrigerator. It will now keep for up to three weeks.

To serve, pour about 90ml of the infused whisky into a short glass filled with ice (ideally one large cube). Serve straight away. If you're feeling traditional, you could use the four-finger measure instead.

Robert Martin
Robert Martin

A seasoned gaming analyst with over a decade of experience in online casinos, specializing in strategy guides and industry trends.