Port lives amid a cloud of misconceptions: It’s often assumed to be overly sweet, and its red iterations are largely thought of as exclusively an after-dinner sip rather than as the versatile cocktail ingredient it can be. As for white port, many people haven’t even heard of it.
“White port has an amazing textural element that reminds me of fresh spring fruits,” says Javelle Taft, the head bartender at Death & Co. NYC. “The flavor profile and acidity is reminiscent of green apples, unripe pears, juicy stone fruits like apricots and peaches.”
Taft prefers Quinta do Infantado white port as the go-to at Death & Co. “It’s a bolder-style white port that’s rich and nutty on the nose but quite dry on the finish,” he says. “Drier-style ports are great to work with because you can add layers of flavors without it being sweet or marzipan-like.” If you prefer something with a little more oak and honey, “Fonseca white port is also a great option,” he suggests, which Andrews seconds.
Galleymore sticks to Warre’s white port—”Coming from a classic big port house, it hits just about everything you need in a cocktail approachable white port,” he says—though for “drinking neat and really jazzing things up,” Kopke white ports are in his glass.
Excerpt taken from Liquor.com
Author: Kate Dingwall
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