The Tasting Panel magazine

September 2017

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september 2017  /  the tasting panel  /  103 D uring New Orleans' Tales of the Cocktail week in July, 227-year-old Douro Valley stalwart The House of Sandeman hosted a "spirited dinner" at Vessel, a cocktail-driven upscale restaurant housed in a former Lutheran church. Port cocktails were indeed the focus of the evening, beginning with the Mask of Massiot created by Watson Barry, who attended TOTC for the first time as the winner of Sandeman's San Francisco Port Cocktail Competition (read more on Barry's winning cocktail in our August issue). "Sandeman has been talking for years—since the '60s—to customers about using porto in cocktails," says Anna Budarina, Sandeman Brand Account Manager, Pernod Ricard USA. "Everyone thought it was a crazy idea, but now we're finally starting to see that trend happening." Budarina says Sandeman portos are particularly well-suited to mixing because the ruby and younger tawnies have a bright acidity, giving them a ver- satility when paired with other liquors. Barry's own elixir marries the 10-year tawny with dry gin, Bénédictine liqueur and an absinthe wash, among other ingredients. The first cocktail of the evening, it was served to arriving guests as they milled around the his- toric space—decorated for the occasion with vintage 1920s Sandeman posters depicting the work of famed French artist Jean d'Ylen. Vessel's in-house mixologists created two cocktails for the dinner. The first blended Sandeman Founders Reserve, a new release honoring founder George Sandeman, with Beefeater Gin and peach; the brightness of the stone fruit- scented drink paired beautifully with Chef Nick Vella's sushi-style smoked, grilled cobia with grilled peaches, candied pecans and port gin fizz. Earlier in the week, Budarina wel- comed TOTC revelers at the Grab and Geaux station in the Hotel Monteleone lobby with The Scarlett Hour, a stout, flavorful drink made with Sandeman Founders Reserve, dark rum, Jamaican gold rum, lime and grapefruit juice, cin- namon syrup and chocolate mole bit- ters. It was served over ice in a bright yellow-and-black branded Sandeman go-cup—or "geaux-cup"—perfect for New Orleans' generous, citywide open container law. The Founders Reserve is one of the house's most prized bottlings, made in the centuries-old tradition of the region. It's blended from the finest lots of both young and more mature wine— the final blend averaging four years in age—and kept an additional five years in oak barrels before release. Budarina, dressed in the iconic Sandeman black uniform and wide- brimmed hat, guided attendees through each cocktail and glass of port while highlighting the company's storied history. She did not wear the cape, as depicted in the image first created by artist George Massiot Brown in 1928, due to the unforgiving muggy heat, but she did show diners that the Sandeman wines perform well even in swampy weather. "Porto is not only an after-dinner drink," Budarina told us as the next cocktail and course arrived. "We really want to show you its versatility here." The next cocktail, created by Vessel's mixologists, featured Sandeman 20 Year Tawny, Avión Tequila, charred pineapple, citric acid and sea water. It was paired with a cast iron octopus, tasso ham, tomato and garganelli pasta made in-house from local Bellegarde Bakery flour. The pairing highlighted the ocean catch while playing off the saltiness of the dish with sweet fruit notes in the drink. The richness of the food began to truly accent the elegant acidity of Sandeman's ports during the following course. The Sandeman 30 Year Tawny was served neat alongside a juniper- cured confit leg of rabbit with foie gras whipped polenta, pickled chanterelles and summer black truffles. This was a crowd favorite, and certainly the most decadent course of the evening. Budarina put it beautifully when she reflected on the pairing: "The salty character of the rabbit worked really well with the high acidity and elegance of the 30 Year. It really cut through and cleansed the palate after the truffle and foie gras." The final course was a dense yet airy chocolate cake with white chocolate pudding and a cherry-Sandeman Founders Reserve sorbet. This was paired with the house's 40 Year Tawny, a treat in itself. Port in July doesn't seem like a good idea until you try it, either on its own or in a well-crafted cocktail. What's more surprising is how beautifully it can complement an entire meal. Maybe that's what 200-plus years of mastering port wine will deliver. Vessel is a cocktail-focused upscale New Orleans restaurant housed in a former Lutheran church built in the 1910s. Vessel's own mixologists created a tequila-port cocktail featuring the Sandeman 20 Year Tawny. Revelers enjoy the first cocktail of the evening while Anna Budarina, Sandeman Brand Account Manager, Pernod Ricard USA, shares the history of the brand.

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