Port Cocktail Class

May 15, 2017

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I received an email from my friend and Taylor Fladgate Marketing Manager Chris Forbes, letting me know he would be in Seattle conducting a Port Cocktail class at the bar Navy Strength for some of Seattle’s local bartenders. He invited me down to the class, and I am certainly glad I took him up on the offer!

While White Port has been a mainstay for cocktails for a long time (White Port & Tonic is my go-to cocktail for Summer), I don’t think the other Port styles had really left their make in the bar and cocktail worlds. The Taylor Fladgate Partnership, which owns the Fonseca and Croft brands, has always been seeking out new audiences for Port. They introduced Croft Pink, the first Rosé Port, in 2008 as a way to appeal to younger Port drinkers.

Since then, Taylor Fladgate has continued to promote Port cocktails through marketing materials, Port Cocktail recipes developed in partnership with Andy Seymour (a well-known Cocktail Educator who would be co-delivering the class), and most recently the development of a website dedicated to Port Cocktails (PortCocktails.com).

The class was quite enjoyable, with Chris giving a brief overview of Port Wine, the Douro Region where Port comes from, while Andy and the team started making Port cocktails for all in attendance. As they prepared the drinks, Andy spoke about the mixology of each one, what made it unique, and why Port was the perfect ingredient to bring the whole cocktail together.

Here are the cocktails that we tasted during the class. Credit for recipes and photos below: PortCocktails.com.

The Douro Cobbler Ingredients: 2 ½ oz. Fonseca Bin 27 Reserve Port ½ oz. Del Maguey Vida Mezcal Bar spoon Del Maguey Chichicapa Mezcal ¾ oz. fresh lemon juice 1 strawberry ¼ oz. agave syrup (1:1) Preparation: In a mixing tin, muddle strawberry with agave syrup and lemon juice. Add Mezcal and Port and fill with ice. Shake and strain over pebble ice (crushed) into a double rocks glass. Garnish: Strawberry and orange slice Glassware: Double rocks Ice: Pebble/crushed	Douro Cobbler Port Cocktail
Lounge Chair Afternoon Ingredients: 1.5 oz Croft Pink Port ¾ oz Añejo Tequila ¾ oz Fresh Grapefruit Juice ½ oz Fresh Lemon Juice ½ oz Tarragon Syrup Preparation: Combine all ingredients over ice in a mixing glass and shake. Strain into a rocks glass with fresh ice. Garnish: Grapefruit Half Wheel Glassware: Rocks Glass Ice: Cube ice	Lounge Chair Afternoon Port Cocktail
First Wind Ingredients: 2 oz. Fonseca Siroco White Port ¾ oz. fresh cucumber juice ¼ oz. fresh lemon juice Bar spoon Agave syrup (2:1) 2 cilantro leaves and stalks 1 ½ oz. Fever Tree Tonic water Preparation: In a mixing tin, muddle cilantro with agave syrup and lemon juice. Add cucumber juice, Siroco and ice. Shake and strain over fresh ice into a Collins glass. Top with tonic water. Garnish: Cucumber stalk Glassware: Collins Ice: Cube ice	First Wind Port Cocktail
Murderers’ Row Ingredients: 2 oz. Fonseca Bin 27 Reserve Port ¾ oz. bourbon 1 oz. fresh pear juice 2 muddled blackberries ¾ oz. fresh lemon juice ¼ oz. agave syrup Preparation: In a mixing tin, muddle blackberries with agave syrup and lemon juice. Add remaining ingredients and ice. Shake and double strain into a chilled coupe glass. Garnish: Grapefruit peel (zest and discard), 2 blackberries Glassware: Coupe Ice: None	Murderers Row Port Cocktail