Originally posted February 15, 2015. Updated 12/6/2020
Miruvor is an elvish drink, from Tolkien’s writings. We may not have access to Yavanna’s flower gardens, but this Miruvore Recipe is close!
So, I nested it under my Ethnic Foods category, LOL!
Anyway. A couple months ago, I started work on a recipe for as-legit-as-possible Miruvor. I'd seen recipes out there for cocktails called Miruvor, but nothing that seemed really canon. So...
What is Miruvor?
Miruvor (or Miruvórë) is an elvish drink, from J.R.R Tolkien's writings.
"Miruvor" was mentioned in the Lord of the Rings trilogy, as "Cordial of Imladris". Made by the Rivendell elves, its purpose in the stories is to revive those who drink it... sort of an elvish energy drink.
"As soon as Frodo had swallowed a little of the warm and fragrant liquor he felt a new strength of heart, and the heavy drowsiness left his limbs. The others also revived and found fresh hope and vigor." - Fellowship of the Ring
Elrond gave it to Gandalf, who shared it with the Fellowship - in small doses - explaining it to be precious.
Miruvor was based, in-world, on Miruvórë - a drink created and imbibed by the Valar, in Valinor.
Miruvórë was made from flowers grown in Yavanna's gardens, and has been referred to as "A kind of nectar" by Tolkien, and as a sweet mead by Galadriel. So, enough information to use and build on, but still fairly vague.
Creating This Recipe
While my *serious* Miruvor is indeed a mead recipe, next week's "One Last Party" seemed like an ideal occasion to break out a bottle of Miruvor... but my brewing batch will not be ready for several more months.
I decided to do a "quick" version: liqueur, rather than mead. So... Miruvor, rather than Miruvórë.
As with the upcoming Miruvórë,, my Miruvor will similarly be inspired by the in-world beverages.
Ingredients
So, as I do not personally have access to flowers from Yavanna's gardens in Valinor - and because pretty much no information was ever created in terms of the actual FLAVOUR of said flowers, I had to get imaginative.
In my mind, it would be a light floral flavour, almost fruity. I didn't picture it as anything heavy, like rose or lavender, for instance.
In running through my knowledge of edible flowers that were also readily accessible, and deciding whether any were suitable as what I was picturing, it hit me: ELDERFLOWERS.
Not only is their flavour pretty much exactly what I was picturing, the name is perfect. Elder flowers... Eldar flowers!
For this recipe, I decided to use elderflower syrup, as it's available year round and just a few clicks away on Amazon.
You can use IKEA's Elderflower syrup for a budget version, but I find the D'Arbo White Elderflower Syrup to be vastly superior in taste.
Plus, you know... it's SUPPOSED to be a precious drink, go ahead and spend the extra money to get the really good stuff!
More Fandom Recipes!
Looking for more Tolkien - or just fandom in general - recipes? I’ve got you covered. Here are a few covering Tolkien, and Doctor Who, as well as some Convention Food recipes!
"Con" Brownies (Gluten-free)
Convention Sloppy Joes
Dalek Sugar Cookies
Gluten-Free Lembas
Hotel Room Smoothies
Miruvor - Quick Version
Roasted "Convention" Chili
The One CHEESE Ring
If you enjoy making and/or cooking with liqueur, you should check out my first cookbook, The Spirited Baker. It’s FULL of fun, tasty recipes using spirits and liqueurs for flavour!
Combining liqueurs with more traditional baking ingredients can yield spectacular results.Try Mango Mojito Upside Down Cake, Candy Apple Flan, Jalapeno Beer Peanut Brittle, Lynchburg Lemonade Cupcakes, Pina Colada Rum Cake, Strawberry Daiquiri Chiffon Pie, and so much more.
To further add to your creative possibilities, the first chapter teaches how to infuse spirits to make both basic and cream liqueurs, as well as home made flavor extracts! This book contains over 160 easy to make recipes, with variation suggestions to help create hundreds more!
Order your copy here on my website, through Amazon, or through any major bookseller.
Share the Love!
Before you imbibe, be sure to take some pics of your handiwork! If you post it to Bluesky, be sure to tag us - @CelebrationGen. We're also on Pinterest, so you can save all your favourite recipes to a board!
Also, be sure to subscribe to my free monthly email newsletter, so you never miss out on any of my nonsense.
Well, the published nonsense, anyway!
Anyway, on to that recipe!
Miruvor Recipe
Ingredients
- 500 ml Elderflower syrup
- ½ cup honey
- ½ cup water
- Peel of ½ lemon
- peel of 1 orange
- 1 vanilla bean split
- Pinch salt
- 2-3 cups GOOD vodka
Instructions
- In a large pot, combine Elderflower syrup, honey, water, citrus peels, vanilla bean, and salt, whisking until well combined. Bring JUST to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool to room temperature.
- Stir about 2 cups of vodka into the cooled syrup mixture, and taste. Continue adding vodka, to taste, until desired flavour / alcohol level is reached.
- Strain through fine cheesecloth or a coffee filter, discarding peels. Funnel into clean wine or liqueur bottles.
- After bottling, you should let it age for about a week in a cool place before drinking it – IF you have that kind of patience! Aging results in a smoother, more mellow flavor.
Notes
Nutrition
More Homemade Liqueur Recipes
Liqueur is a fun project, tasty to drink, and great to give as gifts. Looking for more ideas? Here you go!
Boozy Fun with Fresh Citrus Fruit
Creamy Nutella Liqueur
Homemade Blueberry Liqueur
Homemade Kiwi Liqueur
Maple Butter Tart Liqueur
Laura
Hi!
I came across this recipe looking for Miruvir recipes, and yours is so simple I need to try it! I just have one question before trying it: is it ok to leave it to age more than a week? Or the result will change?
Thanks!
Laura.
Marie Porter
You can age it as long as you like, as long as it's a very clean container that you put it in, and you seal it well.
Hannah
Hi! Allow me to preface my question with this disclaimer: very rarely do I cook so the lingo is a bit lost on me at times. That being said, when you call for "peel of 1/2 a lemon" and "peel of 1 orange", does that mean I use the peel right off the fruit or should I get dehydrated peel to avoid the pith?
Thanks!
Marie Porter
Use a vegetable peeler to get just the rind, no pith!
Blair
Wonderful!
I actually can't drink vodka because I get migraines, but I made the syrup and shook it over ice with an equal amount of whiskey and it was really lovely to have after dinner!
Pascale
I'm allergic to oranges. Can I substitute the orange peel with more lemon peel?
Marie Porter
Seems like a better alternative than an allergic reaction 🙂
Iptfog
My miruvor is still aging, but it has cloudy spots that are getting denser and starting to look completely unappetizing. What can i do? Did I do something wrong?
Marie Porter
How long have you been aging it for? Was the bottle clean when you put the Miruvor in?
Weary Wizard
I love this recipe! It's so warm, and tastes like a floral honey. Listening to Lothlorien ambiance as I sip it makes me feel kind of like I'm in middle earth!
Nichole
How can I scale this up to be bottled in a gallon glass jug? I want to make this for a LOTR viewing party and need to make... well a lot 🙂
Marie Porter
I'd triple it, and just have a bit leftover in a jar. If you double it, you'll be short by almost a litre.
Kellie
Does this need to be refrigerated after it's made?
Marie Porter
Nope, but I would recommend keeping it in a cool dark place.
Sjoerd
As I was trying to find a recipe for the Mead version I stumbled onto your page.
To make this the mead variant, would I just take out the vodka and replace it with mead? Or do you still have the Miruvor-mead recipe somewhere?
Best regards
Marie Porter
Oh yikes, I really should get around to posting that!
It's a brewed mead, start to finish - not mead with ingredients added after the fact.
Elizabeth
Some small flexs of vanilla made it through the coffee filter. Should I filter it again?
Marie Porter
I wouldn't bother, unless you're worried about the aesthetics.