Sets down a drink, American port (9)

I believe the answer is:

pensacola

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'american port' is the definition.
I know nothing about this answer so I cannot tell whether this works.

'sets down a drink' is the wordplay.
'sets down' becomes 'pens' (I can't explain this - if you can you should believe this answer much more).
'drink' becomes 'cola' (cola is a type of drink).
'pens'+'a'+'cola'='PENSACOLA'

Can you help me to learn more?

(Another definition for pensacola that I've seen is " US city".)

I've seen this clue in The Times.

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