Drink 8: The Murdered Moose (Part 2)

The Name: The Murdered Moose                                                                            

The Bar: N/A

The Story Behind The Name: This is a continuation of previous entry, so feel free to read Part 1, which contains the story behind the name.

Ordering The Drink: After leaving the bar where I ordered the Murdered Moose, I was informed of a number of parties happening on campus the next day, which I was of course invited to. One such party was being held by my friend Jane. Jane is quite the mixologist who throws elaborate themed parties, and invents cocktails to match the theme. These parties started after I had already graduated from Kenyon, but I had heard about them and was eager to go to one. The theme of this party was "from the back of my closet," so party-goers were invited to wear something from their closet that they wouldn't wear otherwise (lots of costumes, novelty items, and fancy clothes). Jane's drink menu for the night all featured the alcohol from her liquor cabinet that she uses the least.

As I came to the party and looked at the drink menu, however, I saw that there was one particular drink included on the menu-- one which Jane had added to the menu after the events of the night before.

This drink was, of course, The Murdered Moose.

 

The Drink:

The Murdered Moose, as it appeared on Jane's exhaustive drink menu

Assessment of Drink:

The Murdered Moose

 This one really has a kick. It's a strong drink and not for the weak of heart. Now, I'm guessing many are probably confused about the ingredient "Thu'um," which is listed in the ingredients. Well, video gamers might recognize the name as being the name of a dragon in the game Skyrim. Thu'um is not a commercially available alcohol-- it's a custom-made liquor that Jane's uncle made. Because Jane's passion for going above and beyond with mixed drinks clearly runs in the family (I should mention that Jane also made her own banana liquor which was featured in several other drinks on the menu that night). So, what is thu'um? It's a vodka infused with, I believe, three different varieties of pepper. Really spicy stuff.

Because of the Thu'um, it reminded me of the very first drink I had for this blog. In that drink, the spiciness was really overpowering, but in The Murdered Moose, the spice was really more of an accent. The spice was definitely there (and was not at all a drink you could have quickly-- you had to sip) but was muted somewhat by the other flavors in the drink. My guess is the sweetness of the apricot brandy might have helped.

Christine and Rosie-- who were two of the hardworking stage hands during Moose Murders, pose with Murdered Moose in hand.

This is one of the strongest drinks I've had in pursuit of this blog, and some of those who tasted it found it too powerful (notably, J.P. who actually played the moose in the production, was sent into a coughing fit after taking a sip) but I was definitely a major fan. It had spice, it had sweetness, and it had bitter-- and all of this complimented the bourbon beautifully. Having tried it, I understand Jane's reputation as a mixologist. And I'm honored that she's the first non-bartender to tackle one of these drinks on her own.

I wanted a picture of Jane at work during the party. And I chose the absolute wrong time to take it (she's grabbing an ingredient from a low cabinet).

Does It Live Up To The Name: Jane explained that the drink stems from an actual cocktail-- The Moose, which consists of Bourbon, Apricot Brandy, and Angostura Bitters. So, her only addition to this cocktail was the Thu'um. And given the distinct and powerful flavor of the Thu'um, it completely changes the drink. We already have The Moose, given the inspiration for this drink, and I firmly believe that the Thu'um would be enough to kill any moose. It really does pack quite the punch.

And then there's the brown moose-like color, which just feels right. Really, every way I look at it, this drink fits its name perfectly. It has the moose, and it has the murder present due to Jane's addition of the peppery vodka. Given the success of other bartenders who have used another cocktail as inspiration for their new drink, it seems like that's a great way to go to make a successful and applicable name. Or, you know, just add lots and lots of bourbon. 

I'm unsurprised that Jane knocked this one out of the park. And if she has thoughts on this drink, I highly encourage her to comment with more detail. It's great to know that I got to try a successful Murdered Moose. And, in some ways, it's rather fitting that the unsuccessful one exists too. Given where the inspiration for the name comes from, it just seems right that way.

I pose with my Murdered Moose.