Flips, defined by the use of a whole egg rather than just the white, date back to the Colonial era, when they were typically made with ale and rum, and thickened with eggs and sugar. By the time the style appeared in Thomas’s revised and expanded editions of his original 1862 guide — widely considered the first cocktail book — these drinks had been refined: shaken with ice, enriched with fortified wine and brandy, and finished with freshly grated nutmeg.

Why the Porto Flip works

Tawny port, a fortified wine from Portugal’s Douro Valley, forms the backbone of this cocktail, contributing layered notes of dried fruit and toasted nuts. Brandy adds structure and strength, along with bright orchard fruit and warming spice. A touch of simple syrup further balances the dry spirits. And a whole egg gives the drink its signature richness, creating a velvety texture, creamy mouthfeel, and a frothy cap finished with an aromatic grate of nutmeg.

As with many egg-based cocktails, this recipe calls for a dry shake — shaking without ice — to fully break down and emulsify the egg before a second shake with ice chills and aerates the drink.