What is Balmora Blue?

It is one of the few banned alcoholic beverages in Skyrim, that's what! It comes straight from the City of Balmora in the province of Morrowind and is supposed to be made with another illicit substance: Moonsugar. Everything about this drink is absolutely naughty!

So Why in Oblivion did I make it?!

In the immortal words of a lesser Jhonen Vasquez character: "Because it's cool." In addition to this already flawless reason, I also chose to make this particular Elder Scrolls item into a cocktail because I have always had a weird fascination for little one-off items that game developers place in their games. Things that players are only supposed to use once and then never have again. This is one of those items. Players acquire it along the Thieves Guild questline (one of my favorite questlines and my all-time favorite type of character to play), and it functions as a pretty typical alcoholic beverage when consumed (restoring some stamina, but slowing the regeneration of stamina for a little while). Practically speaking there is nothing too special about it, but it's just one of those fun items that gives the setting of the game a little background and helps make it feel real and alive. Those are the kinds of items that inspire me the most.

I hope my interpretation of this little blue bottle of contraband pleases you and your taste buds!

Step 1: What You Need

White Rum (0.5 oz)
A Splash of Blue curacao
Vodka (1 oz)
Lemon juice (4 Teaspoons)
Tonic water (1 oz)
A cocktail shaker
A Measuring shot glass or jigger
A teaspoon
A cocktail glass
(optional) A Clear Glass Teardrop Bottle
(optional) A neck chain of your preferred design*

*I used one of my girlfriend's necklaces. She won't mind... I hope...

Step 2: Mixing

Measure all of your liquid ingredients.
Pour all of the liquids EXCEPT FOR THE TONIC WATER into your cocktail shaker.
Add a splash of blue curacao by placing your thumb over the mouth of the bottle leaving only a tiny sliver of an opening to allow only a few drops of Blue Curacao to escape, then gently tilt it over the cocktail shaker until you get enough Blue Curacao to change the color of your cocktail from transparent to a pale, icy blue.

It is very important that you DO NOT add the tonic water into your cocktail shaker! Tonic water is carbonated, and when you shake-a your shaker it'll foam up and make a big mess! Think what happens when you shake a soda can and open it. Not so fun...

Step 3: Adding Your Tonic Water & Serving

Pour the ingredients of your cocktail shaker into a cocktail glass and top if off with your tonic water!

Balmora Blue has a sour and mildly sweet citrus flavor.

If you'd like to give it as a gift, I highly recommend placing it in a fun little bottle like my Teardrop bottle! Just make the cocktail as instructed and then place a funnel into the mouth of your chosen bottle and pour the cocktail in.

Enjoy!