Sherry Cocktails
6 drinks with this bottle, from the easy ones up.
What goes with Sherry?
Lemon-lime soda, if it's dry sherry. Fino or manzanilla with soda, ice and mint is the Spanish rebujito, and the sweet fizz softens the salty edge. Sherry also stands in for gin or whiskey as a lighter base: the Adonis is sherry, sweet vermouth and orange bitters. Richer styles like an egg, as in a Sherry Flip.
What does it taste like?
Fino and manzanilla are dry, salty and nutty, a bit like olives and almonds. Oloroso is richer, and cream or Pedro Ximénez tastes of raisins and toffee.
Which bottle should I buy?
Tio Pepe is the usual fino, La Gitana is a popular manzanilla, and Harveys Bristol Cream is the classic sweet one. Lustau makes a solid bottle in nearly every style.
Goes well with
A fortified wine from the area around Jerez in southern Spain, made mostly from Palomino grapes. Styles run from bone-dry fino at about 15% ABV to rich oloroso and sweet Pedro Ximénez at up to 22%. Dry vermouth stands in for dry sherry, and Madeira or tawny port for sweet.
Questions
What do you mix sherry with?
Lemon-lime soda and mint for dry sherry, which makes a rebujito. Sweet vermouth and bitters also work in an Adonis.
Is sherry sweet or dry?
Both. Fino and manzanilla are bone-dry, oloroso is rich but usually dry too, and cream and Pedro Ximénez are properly sweet. Check the style on the label before you buy.
How long does sherry last after opening?
Fino and manzanilla last a few days to a week in the fridge, so treat them like white wine. Richer styles like oloroso and cream keep much longer.
One good drink, every Friday.
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