Sherry tasting, food, cocktails

Question 1

Name foods that pair well with: fino / manzanilla

Answer 1

Snacks / tapas / nuts / olives
Veggies / salad / rice / soups
Japanese / charcuterie / Iberian ham
Seafood / oysters / white fish

(fresh / umami)

Question 2

Name foods that pair well with: amontillado / palo cortado

Answer 2

Hot soups / roasted veggies / rice
Spicy cuisine / mushroom / umami
Poultry / white meat
Hard cheese
Blue fish

(spicy / umami)

Question 3

Name foods that pair well with: oloroso

Answer 3

Hot soups / rice
White / red / game meat
Legumes / stews
Hard cheese
Tuna / salmon

(hearty)

Question 4

Name foods that pair well with: pale cream / medium / cream

Answer 4

Nuts / caramel
Foie
Spicy cuisine
Red fruit berries
Soft cheese
Pastry / flan / ice cream / mousse

(spicy / sweet)

Question 5

Name foods that pair well with: dulce / moscatel / PX

Answer 5

Dark chocolate
Foie
Citrus / red berries
Soft cheese
Pastry / flan / ice cream / mousse

(rich / sweet)

Question 6

Colours of:
Manzanilla
Fino
Amontillado
Palo cortado
Oloroso

Answer 6

Manzanilla: very bright, pale straw
Fino: bright straw yellow to pale gold
Amontillado: amber
Palo cortado: amber to mahogany
Oloroso: dark amber to deep mahogany

Question 7

Colours of:
Dulce
Moscatel
Pedro ximénez

Answer 7

Dulce: intense amber to golden
Moscatel: intense mahogany
Pedro ximénez: dark, opaque, ebony

Question 8

Colours of:
Pale dry and pale cream
Medium dry and medium sweet
Cream

Answer 8

Pale dry and pale cream: straw yellow to pale gold
Medium dry and medium sweet: amber to dark chestnut
Cream: light to dark mahogany

Question 9

Aromas of:
Manzanilla
Fino
Amontillado
Palo cortado
Oloroso

Answer 9

Manzanilla: Pungent, delicate.
Floral - chamomile, almonds, dough

Fino: Sharp, delicate.
Almonds with fresh dough, green herbs

Amontillado: Many - hazelnuts, toffee and tobacco

Palo cortado: Complex - amontillados and olorosos.
Citric (bitter orange) and lactic (toasted butter)

Oloroso: Intense.
Nutty (walnuts),
toasted (noble wood, tobacco, forest floor),
spicy (truffles, leather)

Question 10

Aromas of:
Dulce
Moscatel
Pedro ximénez

Answer 10

Dulce: Aromatic, fragrant - marron glace, stone fruit, toasted notes

Moscatel: Remarkable floral (jasmine, orange blossom, honeysuckle) and citric (lime, grapefruit)

Pedro ximénez: Extremely fragant - dried fruit (raisins, figs, dates), toasted coffee, dark chocolate, cocoa, liquorice, honey and maple syrup

Question 11

Aromas of:
Pale dry and pale cream
Medium dry and medium sweet
Cream

Answer 11

Pale dry and pale cream: Pungent, biologically aged (fino/manzanilla), almonds, dough

Medium dry and medium sweet: classic amontillado, slightly sweet custard, quince, white fruits

Cream: Intense nutty, citrus aromas, hint of sweetness (dried fruit)

Question 12

Palates of:
Manzanilla
Fino
Amontillado
Palo cortado
Oloroso

Answer 12

Manzanilla: Fresh, very dry, delicate, light acidity. Lingering, slightly bitter aftertaste

Fino: Light, very dry, delicate. Pleasant, lively aftertaste

Amontillado: Light, slightly rounded, well-balanced acidity, complex and evocative. Dry finish, lingering aftertaste (nuts and wood)

Palo cortado: Deep, rounded palate. Dry, delicate aftertaste

Oloroso: Full-bodied, deep, rounded (high glycerine) palate. Long, elegant, dry finish.

Question 13

Palates of:
Dulce
Moscatel
Pedro ximénez

Answer 13

Dulce: Slightly sweet, silky, high acidity, citrus, vanilla, smoky wood, praline. Long, persistent aftertaste.

Moscatel: Very sweet, fruity, floral. Slightly dry, bitter finish

Pedro ximénez: Velvety, silky, very high acidity. Lingering, tasty, fresh finish

Question 14

Palates of:
Pale dry and pale cream
Medium dry and medium sweet
Cream

Answer 14

Pale dry and pale cream: Light, fresh, delicate sweetness

Medium dry and medium sweet: Off-dry, becoming rounder. Finish with smooth aftertaste

Cream: Full-bodied and velvety.

Question 15

Cocktails - spirits for:
Fino / manzanilla
Amontillado / palo cortado
Oloroso

Moscatel / pedro ximénez

Medium / cream

Answer 15

Fino / manzanilla: white (vodka, gin, tequila, white rum), younger aged rum, pisco

Amontillado / palo cortado: white, aged (genever, rum, etc)

The rest all go with full-bodied brown (whisk(e)y, brandy, aged rum, tequilas)

Moscatel: also pisco, gin
Medium / cream: also gin

Question 16

Cocktails - works well with:
Fino / manzanilla
Amontillado / palo cortado
Oloroso

Moscatel / pedro ximénez

Medium / cream

Answer 16

Fino / manzanilla:
light flavours, manz takes vegetal;
herbal (herbs, dry vermouth),
fruit (maraschino, apples, citrus),
other (honey)

All the rest take vermouth, amaros, stone fruit and figs, plus…

Amontillado / palo cortado:
any vanilla, toffee, caramel
herbal (herbs, mint),
fruit (curaçaos, red)

Oloroso:
fruit (red, plums),
other (chocolate, coffee)

Moscatel / pedro ximénez:
fruits (curaçao, seasonal, apple, date, citrus, cherry),
other (ginger)

Medium / cream:
herbal (basil, mint),
other (aromatic spice - cinnamon, nutmeg, pepper; honey)

Question 17

Cocktail suggestions:
Fino / manzanilla
Amontillado / palo cortado
Oloroso

Moscatel / pedro ximénez

Medium / cream

Answer 17

Fino / manzanilla: 50/50
martinis, mojitos, daiquiris

The rest all work with Manhattan, old fashioned, cobblers… plus:

Amontillado / palo cortado: daiquiris, collins

Oloroso: adonis

Moscatel / pedro ximénez: to sweeten shaken cocktails (daiquiris, sours, flips, fizzes, nogs)

Medium / cream: negroni, punch, adonis, shaken and sour