A Feast in Mordor: Orc Draught

A feast in Mordor isn’t complete without a glass of revitalizing orc draught, it packs a powerful punch and will warm you to your toes!

Join us as we return to JRR Tolkien’s Middle Earth for another epic culinary adventure. This time, we must gather our courage as we venture to the depths of Mordor in search of our next feast.

When it comes to food hobbits get all the love; and for good reason – they enjoy at least six meals a day! But hobbits are certainly not the only creatures in JRR Tolkien’s world to enjoy a tasty morsel. Long maligned and often misunderstood, the orcs of Middle Earth are due their time in the spotlight. Whether preparing for a battle or heading out on a raiding party, orcs need enough food and drink to keep up their strength. Explore the lesser known cuisine of orcs as we begin our Feast in Mordor.

Ugluk thrust a flask between his teeth and poured some burning liquid down his throat: he felt a hot fierce glow flow through him. The pain in his legs and ankles vanished. He could stand.

JRR Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers

After being kidnapped by a party of Uruk-hai, Merry and Pippin are in rough shape. To revitalize them, one of the Uruk-hai forcefully feeds Pippin some of their mysterious draught. Pippin might not have enjoyed his first taste of orc draught but there’s no denying that it worked as the orcs’ strange brew breathed new life into the hobbits. This recreation of that mysterious libation packs a serious punch and is sure to warm you to your toes!

Ingredients

Cinnamon whiskey: The only clue we have to what orc draught actually tastes like is the description of a fiery liquid that creates a hot glow inside Pippin. Sweet and spicy cinnamon flavour whiskey perfectly recreates that fierce hot glow when you drink it. While there are a few different cinnamon whiskey brands on the market, Fireball Whiskey is by far the most common and easy to find.

Blackberry: The near barren lands of Mordor might not boast many fruit orchards but we can imagine that a few hardy brambles, like blackberry, might be able to survive the harsh conditions. Blackberry liqueur adds sweetness while muddling fresh blackberries adds fresh berry flavour and body to this draught.

Fernet-Branca: This Italian liqueur belongs to the amaro family of bitter herbal liqueurs. Made from a secret blend of 27 herbs and botanicals, the slightly bitter Fernet-Branca balances the sweetness of the blackberry and cinnamon.

Lemon: As always, a splash of lemon juice adds balancing acidity to this orc brew.

How to make Orc Draught

This draught couldn’t be simpler to make. Add the blackberries to an empty cocktail shaker. Use a muddler to crush the berries. Add the cinnamon whiskey, blackberry liqueur, Fernet-Branca, and lemon juice. Top with ice and stir the cocktail for 10 to 15 seconds. Don’t rush the mixing as the melting ice will add some dilution to this strong draught.

To serve, strain the cocktail through a fine sieve into a small coupe or Nick and Nora glass. Garnish with fresh blackberries if desired and enjoy!

More Middle Earth Recipes

• A Hobbit’s Feast
• An Elven Feast in Rivendell
• A Hobbit’s Yuletide Feast – An Unofficial Cookbook
• Ent Draught – A Cedar Gin Cocktail