Ingredient
Port
A fortified Portuguese wine — ruby, tawny or vintage. Warmed with citrus and spice it becomes the Smoking Bishop and the soul of mulled port.
Flavour profile
Port is winter on a plate. A ruby gives mulled-port serves their colour and grip; a tawny brings caramel and dried fruit; a vintage is best left in the bottle unless you have something very specific in mind. For warm cocktails a basic ruby is exactly right — anything finer is a generous gesture rather than a useful one. Warmed with citrus and clove it becomes Dickens-era Smoking Bishop, the original Christmas hangover cure.
Recipes featuring port
Smoking Bishop
A Dickens-era warmed punch of ruby port, red wine and roasted clove-studded oranges, sweetened with sugar and seasoned with allspice.
Mulled Port
A rich mulled port with orange, cinnamon and star anise for a deep, fortified winter drink.
Warm Port and Lemon
A soothing winter warmer of ruby port and hot water with lemon, clove and cinnamon — a gentle, old-fashioned alternative to the hot toddy.