Smoking Bishop Cocktail Recipe

Ruby port, roasted clove-studded orange, Demerara sugar, and warming spices form the backbone of the Smoking Bishop, a Victorian mulled punch meant for sharing. The drink appears memorably in A Christmas Carol, when a newly transformed Ebenezer Scrooge invites Bob Cratchit to discuss his future over a Christmas bowl of Smoking Bishop.

The term bishop was a 19th-century shorthand for port, and the Smoking Bishop belongs to a broader family of punch-style drinks known as the ecclesiastics, each aligned with a different wine. For example, the Smoking Cardinal was made with Champagne, and the Smoking Pope with Burgundy. 

What sets this version apart is its roasted citrus. An orange is studded with cloves and browned until aromatic, lending caramelized bitterness and depth before the wine is warmed. Adapted from historical recipes and later interpretations, the result is rich, gently sweet, and unmistakably seasonal.

Why the Smoking Bishop works

The Smoking Bishop balances richness, bitterness, and warm aromatics. Ruby port brings body, dark fruit, and residual sweetness, while the roasted orange adds citrus oils and a lightly bitter edge that keeps the punch from feeling heavy. Clove and optional cinnamon add warmth without overwhelming the wine and function more as fragrance than spice.

Demerara sugar reinforces the port’s sweetness and depth, while an optional splash of dry red wine adds subtle tannic notes and dryness. Gently heated, the punch stays cohesive with warmth amplifying aroma rather than alcohol. It is a communal drink by design, built slowly to be enjoyed for special occasions.