The Heldren Highball

Throw-Back Thursday Presents:
A Themed Drink for The Dimension Door Podcast, Episode 16

Just as the most recent episode’s drink was inspired by the small Irriseni town of Waldsby, so is this cocktail from Episode 16 inspired by the small Taldan town of Heldren. Whereas for Waldsby we had a hot beverage perfect for the inhospitably cold climate, for Heldren we had an icy, refreshing drink that celebrates the summer season and its flowering, fresh botanicals. The local Dansby farm produces some fine mead for the town (may poor Farmer Dansby rest in peace), so it’s only fitting that any Heldren cocktail include mead as an ingredient. The garnish of this drink is also a bit of an homage to the donkey belonging to Vasilisa Morozova (Heldren’s local wisewoman). After all, Marigold is a Very Good Donkey.

Keep reading for full instructions to make your own Heldren Highball.

An image of a highball in a Collins glass. It is a light orange hue, and garnished with a swirl of orange peel and a flower-cut piece of peel around a metal straw. The name of the cocktail (Heldren Highball) is in the left corner of the image

How to Make Your Own Heldren Highball

Shake with ice:

1 oz fresh orange juice
1 oz mead (since I couldn’t get any of Farmer Dansby’s, I used Superstition Meadery’s Ginger Voodoo)
2 oz gin (I used The Botanist, since Vasilisa loves its summery botanicals; any floral-forward gin will do)
2 dashes Peychaud’s bitters

Strain over ice in tall glass. Top with club soda. Garnish with orange peel.