From Luke O’Neil at AskMen.com:
Tawny Manhattan
Luke writes: “Of the four options here, this is definitely the simplest to begin with. While the Manhattan is probably the most perfect cocktail in existence, it doesn’t hurt to experiment with a beloved recipe from time to time, just in case it turns out you can improve upon perfection. If you’ve got a bottle of tawny port that’s been gathering dust on your shelf, consider using it to replace the sweet vermouth in a standard Manhattan. If you’re used to treacly vermouths, the difference here will be striking due to the comparatively mature smoothness of the port.”
Ingredients:
2 oz rye
1 oz Sandeman Tawny Port
2 dashes Angostura bitters
Method: Combine all ingredients and stir over ice. Strain into a cocktail glass and garnish with an amarena cherry.
Clubland Cocktail
Luke writes: “Although the original version of this recipe (in the 1937 Cafe Royal Cocktail Book) calls for white port, Jay Hepburn of the cocktail blog Oh Gosh! suggests substituting a tawny, which you’re more likely to have on hand anyway. Tawny ports, like Dow’s 10 Year, are cask-aged from anywhere between two years all the way up to a few decades. The older ones are known as vintage ports, which you wouldn’t want to waste in a cocktail. Here, the comparatively youthful tawny adds nutty, vanilla and slight citrus notes to the flavorless but boozy punch of the vodka.”
Ingredients:
1.5 oz Dow’s 10 Year Tawny Port
1.5 oz vodka
1 dash Angostura bitters
Method: Stir all ingredients with ice. Strain into a cocktail glass and garnish with a lemon zest twist.
Broken Spur Cocktail
Luke writes: “While you’ll find varying recipes for this cocktail under the same name, including one made with sweet vermouth, orange liqueur and tawny ports, this version is a better option for cocktails you’ll be serving at home over the holidays. The port itself is dry, with stone-fruit notes like apricot and peaches that meld nicely with the botanicals of the gin, both of which are eased into a frothy smoothness with the egg white and a seasonally flavorful pop from the nutmeg.”
Ingredients:
1 Egg Yolk
1 oz Quinta do Infantado White Port
1 oz gin
1 dash anise liqueur
Method: Dry shake all ingredients thoroughly to emulsify, then shake again over ice before straining into a cocktail glass. Garnish with a dusting of nutmeg or cinnamon.
