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In a similar vein to the Cheeky Vimto but still not tried it. My brother was telling me how he was in a bar where he fancied nothing - something long, quite heavy but not too bitter. He reckoned on Guinness but it failed the last requirement. So he got them to shove a Port in it to sweeten it up. Hey Presto, Port and Guinness. I'd never considered it as a remote possibility previously but he assures me that it was perfect for what he wanted.

The Cheeky V is Port and Blue WKD (or blue anything else, they all taste the same, I'm told).

There used to be a craze in the 80s for women of questionable virtue to show how classy that they were by having Port and Brandy (apologies to all those that married Port and Brandy drinkers). I tried this with Fonseca 1963 and a shot of Louis XIII and it didn't seem to do anything for either of them (OK, this is a joke, please don't go asking questions).

When I worked in bars they was the old classic, Port and Lemonade, Port and Coke, Port and Orange (squash not juice, thus making something incrediblly sweet), Port and Babycham (ooh sparkles), Port and Snakebite. Nobody drank the stuff on its own because it was CSR and they had better taste than that.

Any others? I will stick Port and Tonic in and see how many Port combinations (I won't call them cocktails) we can find.

KillerB wrote:In a similar vein to the Cheeky Vimto but still not tried it. My brother was telling me how he was in a bar where he fancied nothing - something long, quite heavy but not too bitter. He reckoned on Guinness but it failed the last requirement. So he got them to shove a Port in it to sweeten it up. Hey Presto, Port and Guinness. I'd never considered it as a remote possibility previously but he assures me that it was perfect for what he wanted.

The Cheeky V is Port and Blue WKD (or blue anything else, they all taste the same, I'm told).

There used to be a craze in the 80s for women of questionable virtue to show how classy that they were by having Port and Brandy (apologies to all those that married Port and Brandy drinkers). I tried this with Fonseca 1963 and a shot of Louis XIII and it didn't seem to do anything for either of them (OK, this is a joke, please don't go asking questions).

When I worked in bars they was the old classic, Port and Lemonade, Port and Coke, Port and Orange (squash not juice, thus making something incrediblly sweet), Port and Babycham (ooh sparkles), Port and Snakebite. Nobody drank the stuff on its own because it was CSR and they had better taste than that.

Any others? I will stick Port and Tonic in and see how many Port combinations (I won't call them cocktails) we can find.

Port and sprite, (instead of grenadine) has the same affect of a shirley temple.

Or a port sangria, where instead of cheap red wine, you replace with a ruby, skip the orange juice if so and add lemon or lime juice instead.

Go back thirty years or more, and Port 'n' Lemon was a mainstay of ladies in Rovers' Return type pubs; but I don't think I've ever tried it, nor have any idea what the proportions normally were. I assume the lemonade was of the clear synthetic variety, rather than anything made from lemons.

Maybe it's quite nice; but I can't say I'm in any hurry to experiment...

Tom

Port and lemon is quite definitely lemonade, the clear, sticky, not sure if a lemon has been in its vicinity stuff. Sprite or 7UP is the usual American substitute for what we call lemonade but I think it has a semblance of lime flavouring in it as well.

KillerB wrote:Sprite or 7UP is the usual American substitute for what we call lemonade but I think it has a semblance of lime flavouring in it as well.

Correct. Both Sprite and 7-Up are what we call "lemon-lime" beverages over here.

Minute Maid makes a canned lemonade that sounds more like what you're talking about, though I think it does allegedly contain 10% fruit juice.

This thread has reminded me that my parents used to reach for Port & Brandy as though it was a Flu tonic!

Sounds more fun than Lemsip....

How about a Port On The Rocks? I was in the US some time ago and was given a glass of overly warm tawny port that just smelt of alcohol. An ice-cube later and it was much more enjoyable.

Conky wrote:This thread has reminded me that my parents used to reach for Port & Brandy as though it was a Flu tonic!

Sounds more fun than Lemsip....

I hope I remember this thread the next time I’m looking for the Lemsip so I can aim for the decanters instead

Incidentally, I think the ingredients in a Cheeky V without the alcohol would probably be enough to give me an enormous hangover the next morning. Just thinking about it makes me feel slightly ill. A shame as I, also, like Vimto.

Apart from Port Tonic (which barely counts considering its usually made with dry Port and most tonics are far too sweet), are there any Port + something else drinks which try to downplay the sugar?

Port wine with a quail egg yolk, Campari and a splash of soda.

JacobH wrote:Apart from Port Tonic (which barely counts considering its usually made with dry Port and most tonics are far too sweet), are there any Port + something else drinks which try to downplay the sugar?

It took two years and a trip to the Rivoli Bar in the Ritz, but I found a Port cocktail that worked well. It’s a seasonal one (called Autumn something) made from Taylor’s 10 Year Tawny which they shock with Amaretto and Mint and served in a Martini glass. I think the proportions were 3 parts Port, 2 parts Amaretto and 1 part Mint liqueur, but that is just based on overhearing the bar-staff talk about how to make it and the menu suggested it just had fresh mint not liqueur.

They also have two other Port cocktails on the menu, a more elaborate version of the above called ‟Aromatic Elixir” made with Tanqueray Gin, Tawny Port, Amaretto, Lime Juice, Fresh Strawberry, and Mint and one called ‟Red Snapper” made from Plymouth Gin, Ruby Port, Spiced Tomato Juice and Lemon Juice (which sounds horrible).

The barman said that mint is essential to making a successful Port cocktail. I think using a 10-year-old tawny probably helps, too, because it has a more aromatic flavour which is a better base for a cocktail. Might try to have a go reconstructing them at home at some stage.

I'd like to revive this thread as I'm getting my wine license and am looking to expand the lower end of the port market via mixing. And am looking to do it with some of the Quevedo's. (hopefully with the blessing of Oscar!)

With summer around the corner, one recipe I had in mind of showing was a

Mint leaves, splash of lime juice and some pink port over ice.

Another one was a ice mango puree mixed with rum with a floating layer of ruby port.

i've tried teh 1 part port 1 part soda water and 2 dashes of lime juice

was terrible

uped teh lime juice to a 1 tblspoon and it was much more palateable with a nice touch of fizz.

surprisingly it needs sugar.