After Dinner Drink Picks To Round Off The Evening In Style

It’s almost the festive season, and you may be planning a special dinner party, or perhaps just want to treat yourself to a night cap to pleasantly round off the evening. After dinner drinks were traditionally served to aid digestion after a rich meal, and combined alcohol with a mixture of herbs and spices. 

These days medical practices may have moved on, but there has been a revival of interest in digestifs, as they are known. The most common types are spirits and fortified wines, which you can buy online for more interesting and high quality alternatives to supermarket stock. Here’s a look at some of the best options, and how to serve them.

Port

Port is a type of fortified wine (a wine mixed with a spirit, usually brandy) that is made in Portugal using red grapes. It has a high alcohol content and a sweet rich flavour. Tawny port is a popular choice, because of its pleasing complex aromas and nutty caramel flavour. It pairs well with chocolate or cheese. 

Serve slightly chilled but not cold, in a small glass to concentrate the flavour and aroma. 

Sherry

Sherry is another fortified wine that has enjoyed a revival in recent years. It was originally produced in Jerez, southern Spain, and there are strict regulations to protect the labelling of sherry: legally, all fortified wines labelled as sherry must be from certain regions of the country. 

Lower quality cooking sherries that were widely available in the mid 20th century led to decline in the status of the drink, as often they were overly sweet and lacked complexity of flavour. However, there has been a surge in the popularity of sherry, particularly Pedro Ximénez, which has a pleasingly complex nutty and sweet flavour.

Sherry pairs well with sweet desserts such as trifle, cheesecake, and tiramisu. Serve in small quantities at room temperature or slightly below.

Rum

Rum is a classic after dinner drink, particularly aged oak varieties that often have delicious overtones of spices, coconut, and dried fruit. It’s a smooth and full bodied drink that really helps to settle a full stomach. It can be served neat or with a mixer such as soda water, cola, citrus juice or ginger beer. 

If you want to counteract the sweetness, add a few drops of freshly squeezed lemon or lime juice. Smoother rums should be enjoyed at room temperature to appreciate the more delicate flavours, but if you are serving a bold and spicy variety, you could chill it out a little with a handful of ice cubes.

Brandy

Brandy is another classic nightcap with a super high alcohol content, so go easy on the measures. It has a velvety texture with fruity undertones, and pairs well with dark chocolate, dried fruits and nuts. It’s traditional to serve brandy at room temperature in a balloon glass, to allow the flavours and aromas to fully develop.