ANYONE FOR PORT?

Graham’s Blend Series isn’t your average port, it’s a fresh new direction for Porto’s finest export

Think port, think a punctuation mark at the end of a fancy meal. Or perhaps your mind takes you to the perfect accompaniment to round off a nicely presented cheese board. Of course port can be both of these things, but there’s so much more to the category than those limited and quite frankly, outdated perceptions. As the good folk at Graham's Port, under the guidance of Symington Family Estates, have made it

Graham’s Blend Nº5 White Port

Light and fresh, this deliciously perky white port is the secret ingredient that your cocktails have been waiting for. Christened number five after the fifth-generation Symington family members who brought it to life, it’s a star in the ascendant.

In the bottle:

“We use top quality grapes of Malvasia Fina and the aromatic Moscatel,” explains Victoria Symington, Graham's brand manager. “The grapes are grown at a high altitude and hand-picked, then cold fermented in small batches. The result is a semi-dry port with enough sweetness to counterbalance the bitterness in a tonic but not so sweet it doesn’t work with any other mixer.”

In the glass: You can’t help but think of summer with this one – it’s ebullient, super fresh, medium dry and laced with juicy peach notes.

Signature serve:

PORTO SUMMER

50ml Graham’s Blend Nº5

Tonic, to top Lemon and mint, to garnish their business to prove. With more than 200 years of winemaking expertise, the brand is as confident in honouring age-old traditions as it is pushing boundaries. Take its decision to create the first port specifically for mixing, for example. Made with the same care, attention and respect that goes into the exceptional ports it’s been producing since 1820, this clever addition to the extensive portfolio is aimed at a more modern, more experimental palate.

Method: Serve Graham’s Blend Nº5 with plenty of ice, topped with your favourite tonic. Garnish with lemon and mint.

Bartender’s serve:

ROBBIE (pictured right)

40ml Graham’s Blend Nº5

20ml fat-washed pisco

25ml simple syrup

30ml lemon juice

20ml aquafaba

15ml Graham’s Blend Nº12 to float

Method: Shake the first five ingredients over ice. Float with Graham's Blend Nº12. Created by Joeri Visser, BelRoy’s Cocktails, Antwerp, Belgium; Runner-up, Graham’s Blend Series Cocktail Competition 2023

Please drink Graham’s Blend Series responsibly

Graham’s Blend Nº12 Ruby Port

Graham’s Blend Nº12 is another liquid conversation that challenges traditional ideas of what a ruby port should be. For this blend – called number 12 because the grapes are picked at midnight – the luscious fruit is sourced from vineyards at the highest altitude to retain freshness.

In the bottle: One of the most noticeable differences is that there’s no oak ageing or discernible tannins in play, resulting in a bright, floral blend that works like a charm in a wide range of flavoursome cocktails.

In the glass: A complex blend of forest fruit combined with luscious berries, raspberries and a nice hit of citrus.

Signature serve: MIDNIGHT MULE

40ml Graham’s Blend Nº12

60ml ginger beer

Mint to garnish

Slice of lime, to garnish

Method: Pour Graham’s Blend Nº12 over a generous serving of ice, top with ginger beer, then garnish with mint and a slice of lime

Bartender’s serve: PORT DE CAFÉ

50ml Graham’s Blend Nº12

20ml mezcal

10ml cold brew coffee

5ml agave syrup

4 drops saline solution

17 drops Fernet Branca

Method: Add all ingredients to a mixing glass, top with ice and stir for 15 seconds. Strain into a Rocks glass over a large ice cube.

Created by Alina Bazen, Das schwarze Schaf, Bamberg, Germany; Winner Graham’s Blend Series Cocktail Competition 2023