Porto Cooler

By Rebekah Peppler

Published Aug. 24, 2022

Porto Cooler
David Malosh for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.
Rating
4(104)
Comments
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The key to this citrus-forward nod to Portugal’s venerable porto tónicos lies in the citrus wheels that stack along the inside of the glass top to bottom. As aesthetically pleasing as they are functional, use any one citrus or mix of citrus, seeking out those with thin piths for glass-lining ease. Lime, lemon, orange, blood orange, mandarin, Meyer lemon, even kumquat are all excellent choices, depending on your personal preference and season. To keep the citrus rounds in place, use a wider-mouthed highball glass and alternate adding citrus and ice. Once the white port, vermouth, bitters, and tonic are added, the citrus will gradually impart its flavor into the cocktail as it sits, shifting the cooler's flavor as you drink.

Featured in: What’s Cooler Than Being Cool? These Cocktails.

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Ingredients

Yield:1 cocktail
  • 6 to 8very thinly sliced citrus wheels, such as lime, lemon and orange, preferably using citrus with thin piths
  • Ice
  • 2ounces white port
  • 1ounce blanc vermouth
  • 4dashes orange bitters, or use Angostura
  • 3 to 4ounces dry tonic
Ingredient Substitution Guide
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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    In a wider-mouthed highball glass, tuck the citrus wheels around the sides of the glass, adding ice as you move up the glass. (The ice will help keep them in place.) Add the port, vermouth and bitters. Tuck a straw into the glass and top with tonic.

Ratings

4 out of 5
104 user ratings
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Comments

Polly P

So, lacking the ingredients called for, I made a rojo version with tawny port, sweet vermouth, and Angostura bitters. Tasty and refreshing.

Richard

A quick Google search reveals that dry tonic does not have sugar.

YaYas

Based on the other notes (thank you everyone), some Google searching,& inspection of my pantry, I found that the easily found Fevertree Naturally Light brand meets the definition put forward here and by brands marketed as "Dry" tonics. It has 2.8g sugar /100ml. Hope this helps.

Heidi

The dry tonic definition below sounds like soda water to me. (Granted I'm not a savvy cocktail maker.) So I searched as well and found this definition of dry tonic water: With only 6.5 g of sugar per 100 ml and its perceived increase in bitterness, it creates a pleasantly dry taste experience and allowing bartenders to add an exciting twist to any drink featuring tonic. So I'll search for less sugar in my tonic water at the grocery store...

Ray

What is "dry tonic" vs regular tonic water?

Richard

A quick Google search reveals that dry tonic does not have sugar.

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