Two parts liquor, one part literary criticism

By Soncirey Mitchell
Reader Staff

The Lord of the Rings is my colloquial “Roman Empire” — I’ve thought about it every day since the winter of 2007 and I have no intention of stopping. As I’ve grown up and experienced all the milestones and pitfalls that that entails, my understanding of the story, characters and themes has evolved.

In honor of my long-standing obsession, I challenged myself to use my privileges as a 20-something nerd to see LOTR through an entirely new, adult lens: alcohol. Below are my attempts at synthesizing the essence of Tolkien’s characters into tastes and experiences to develop an even deeper understanding of my favorite story.

Please drink responsibly.

Legolas Greenleaf

“I will leave, I will leave the woods that bore me; / For our days are ending and our years failing. / I will pass the wide waters lonely sailing. / Long are the waves on the Last Shore falling, / Sweet are the voices in the Lost Isle calling…”

— The Return of the King

Ingredients:

2 oz vodka

1 ½ oz nectarine juice

1 oz simple syrup

Fresh rosemary to muddle and garnish

Directions:

Combine ice, vodka, nectarine juice and simple syrup in a cocktail shaker. Using the back of a knife, crush a small sprig of rosemary to release the flavor, then add to the mix. Shake well and strain into a martini glass. Garnish with a sprig of rosemary.

Development:

Legolas is a prince of the Woodland Realm, which is made up of both dark forests and underground halls that are buffeted by Sauron’s villainous forces. The earthy, pine taste of the rosemary evokes his origins in Mirkwood, but its powerful flavor is balanced by the fresh, summer-y taste of nectarine. Though he hails from Mirkwood, Legolas longs for the sea and the eternal summer of the Undying Lands. The nectarine therefore represents his final journey across the sea to Valinor, which marks the end of his time on Middle-Earth.

Aragorn son of Arathorn

“I have had a hard life and a long; and the leagues that lie between here and Gondor are a small part in the count of my journeys. I have crossed many mountains and many rivers, and trodden many plains, even into the far countries of Rhûn and Harad where the stars are strange.”

— The Fellowship of the Ring

Ingredients:

2 oz gin

1 oz fresh lemon juice

½ oz pomegranate liqueur

½ oz honey syrup

Jalapeño to muddle and garnish

Directions:

Combine ice, gin, lemon juice, pomegranate liqueur and honey syrup in a cocktail shaker. Add a small slice of jalapeño (with or without seeds depending on spice preference) and shake well. Strain and serve in a rocks glass over ice. Garnish with a slice of jalapeño.

Development:

Aragorn’s ascension to kingship marks a resurgence of Middle Earth’s great kings and redemption for the race of men after they succumbed to selfishness and evil 3,000 years prior. Not only is he a member of the Dúnedain — an ancient division of men with extended lifespans — but he was also raised among the immortal elves, meaning he has an inextricable tie to history and legend. His heritage is echoed in the use of pomegranate, which is thought to have been domesticated as early as the fifth century B.C.E. and has featured prominently in the myths of many different cultures. The spice and prickly-ness of the jalapeño, in contrast, represents his hardened exterior, developed over years spent among the Dúnedain as a ranger, roaming the wilderness, protecting the innocent and attempting to escape his forebear’s legacy of failure.

Samwise Gamgee

“The one small garden of a free gardener was all his need and due, not a garden swollen to a realm; his own hands to use, not the hands of others to command.”

— The Return of the King

Ingredients:

2 oz vodka

1 oz pear juice

½ oz fresh lemon juice

½ oz elderflower liqueur

½ oz simple syrup

Lemon slice or edible flower for garnish

Directions:

Combine ice, vodka, pear juice, elderflower liqueur and simple syrup in a cocktail shaker. Mix well and strain into a martini glass. Garnish with a lemon slice.

Development:

Sam’s lower status compared to his companions — as well as his boundless optimism and loyalty — often paint him as naive to the pessimistic reader. Nothing could be further from the truth. Sam’s strength lies in his unwavering hope and love with which he is able to save Frodo and withstand the horrors and temptations of his journey. The mix of the autumn flavor of pear with the spring flavor elderflower — both seasons of transition — represents Sam’s consistency and adaptability throughout the perils of the journey to Mordor. Likewise, the light, refreshing flavors not only evoke his vocation as a gardener, but the hope he carries even in the face of certain death.

Frodo Baggins

“I tried to save the Shire, and it has been saved, but not for me. It must often be so, Sam, when things are in danger: some one has to give them up, lose them, so that others may keep them.”

— The Return of the King

Ingredients:

2 oz whiskey

1 oz apple cider

½ oz fresh lemon juice

½ oz honey syrup (1 part honey, 1 part water)

Hearty dash of Angostura bitters

Apple slice for garnish

Directions:

Combine whiskey, apple cider, lemon juice, honey syrup and bitters in a cocktail shaker. Shake well and serve over ice in a rocks glass. Garnish with an apple slice.

Development:

The deep, intense flavors of Frodo’s cocktail reflect the depth of his sacrifice and the intensity of his quest. The warm flavors of apples, honey and whiskey are deeply rooted in the colder months, especially the transitional period of autumn, during which Frodo undergoes his most life-altering experiences. His journey begins in September when he first comes of age, and later when he departs from the Shire with the One Ring. The flavor of honey evokes the comfort of the Shire and the love of his friends, but that sweetness is balanced with Angostura bitters, which speak to the difficulties of his quest. After Mordor’s destruction, Frodo is unable to find peace in Middle Earth and therefore must depart to the Undying Lands on Sept. 29, sharing a bittersweet goodbye with his friends. The balance of dark and light flavors echoes Frodo’s inherent kindness, as well as his bodily and spiritual sacrifice to save Middle Earth.