Port makes it way back onto cocktail menus

The current cocktail revival is bringing back many once forgotten (or overlooked) spirits. Port is among the many cocktail ingredients with a rich history that dates back to the 1700s, but until very recently you would be hard pressed to find port on any mixed drink menu. That is no longer the case, explains Naren Young in an article for Eater. He explains that while it is “often stereotyped as a post-meal tipple, enjoyed perhaps by the fire, port–with its voluptuous notes of chocolate and spice–has actually found its way into several classic cocktails over the centuries that still deserve our attention.”

Young recalls several classic drinks featuring port, including the Princeton cocktail, the Coffee cocktail (which contains no coffee), and the venerable Port cobbler. One of the oldest port cocktails is often cited as an ancestor of today’s sangria: the sangaree. The origin story, like most, is probably not accurate, but many different punches utilize port as a basic ingredient.

Many port cocktails are of the flip or fizz variety which include whole eggs or egg whites, respectively. Port’s richness combines with the creaminess of the egg to create a very smooth drink. In addition to adding body to drinks, Port can add a dramatic red hue as in the Fatty daddy cocktail from Leite’s Culinaria, pictured above. Browse the over 60 port cocktails available online in the EYB Library to find one that you will enjoy.