Graham Blend No. 5 White Port

[Alex Bridgeman]

Today sees the London launch party for Graham’s Blend No. 5 white Port. While primarily aimed at the on trade it is also available through a small number of retailers, including Harvey Nichols, Fortnum & Mason and the Whisky Exchange.

It’s made to blend - whether with tonic or as part of a cocktail - and is proving popular in London bars. It’s nice chilled as an aperitif. It’s a bitter style of white Port so will not be to the taste of everyone, but is fresh and lively.

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[Alex Bridgeman]

I tasted this at the London Launch Party for Graham Blend No.5 White Port, a parcel this vintage of only 6,000 bottles fermented and stored in stainless steel to preserve flavour and freshness.

On it's own this is a fruity and flavoursome White Port with lots of fruit flavours - gooseberry and grapefruit. Quite dry with the bitter grapefruit oil coming through strongly on the finish, it is not a White Port which will appeal to those with a sweet tooth but it is a great example of a fresh and lively White Port. It also made a most excellent and refreshing Port and Tonic with 50ml of Port mixed with 150ml of Schweppes 1789 Tonic, ice, lemon and a sprig of mint - and it comes in the best new design of Port bottle I have yet to see.