Delicious and intoxicating drinks for any occasion! This book was so cool to read and you don't just learn how to make different drinks you also get some quick history on Greek mythology.


Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this book in exchange for an honest review.

I grew up with a love of Greek mythology, so I was thrilled to see that it seemed to be quite popular on NetGalley. So after I finished off some Greek mythology inspired romances, I moved on to a similarly inspired cocktail book. Similar to most cocktail books, the first section covered mixology basics, including recipes for syrups, and the remaining sections covered seventy-five recipes in various categories.

The overview of mixology basics started with descriptions of various historical Greek drinking vessels and then continued with an alphabetical list of unusual spirits that should have been organized into a neat table of name, description, and substitution. The section finished with basic recipes for the building blocks of the cocktails that followed. The syrup recipes were fairly standard 1:1 ratio of water to sweetener, except stirring rather than heating. I’ve made grenadine before but am really interested in making the hibiscus grenadine and using it in at least a Shirley Temple.

Each of the recipe sections was dedicated to a different type of Greek myth: the Olympians, the Immortals, the Heroes, etc. The recipes each started with a brief overview of the god, goddess, or myth that the recipe referenced, then proceeded with the ingredient list, and finished with the recipe steps. The recipe steps were spiced with mythological references that made them much more entertaining to read. Some of the recipes were riffs on classic cocktails, such as the New York Sour, the Sazerac, and the Sea Breeze. The remainder were original creations, usually leaning heavy on classic Greek flavors such honey, lavender, and thyme. Most of the cocktails relied on common liquors, with some bringing back midori and blue curaçao. However, there were the occasional recipes that had something more exotic like kümmel, becherovka, or very specific amari.

The color illustrations that accompanied the recipes were vibrant and whimsical. Although I do wish that there had been photographs of the cocktails themselves.

Overall, I was educated and amused by this cocktail book. The oddball directions of how to mix and serve the cocktails got tedious after awhile, but I think that was only because I read the book from cover to cover. The feminist recasting of some of the myths was a curious angle, especially with respect to heroes who assaulted nymphs, Amazonians, princesses, and their ilk. I liked enough of the recipes that I would consider adding it to my collection or gifting it to friends.

I received this book as a digital advance reader copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest opinion. I’ve yet to prepare any recipes from this book, but will update my review when I do.

Talk about a fun cocktail cookbook. This would be amazing for a theme party. The ingredients aren’t all easy to find but still awesome.

Pros: I am involved in my sorority's local alumni chapter and thought this book would provide ideas for themed cocktails for our future socials. It did! Not only did I get fun party ideas, I also learned a lot from this book about Greek mythology and Ancient Greece. This book is visually fantastic--the illustrations were stunning. This book would make a great gift for people with a well-stocked bar.

Cons: This isn't really a con, but I would have loved to see some non-alcoholic drinks/mocktails in this book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Adams Media for the opportunity to read this book.

I received a copy of this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This is an interesting cocktail book!

The book has a variety of cocktails from standard and well known drinks to creative new flavors I haven't tried before. The drinks all have Greek myth themed names and some description of the deity/creature/person along with the ingredients and the instructions on making the drink. The instructions usually include some kind of incantation or prayer along with how to mix the spirits. The drawings in the book are absolutely beautiful! There are sketches of some of the drinks in fantastical glasses that fit the theme of the drink. However I do wish there were pictures of the finished drink as well to see what they should look like in the real world.

A fun an interesting find!

3.5/5 stars

Nectar of the Gods is a charming and light-hearted cookbook that pairs short descriptions of stories and characters from greco roman mythology with unique craft cocktail recipes. It is nearly the exact combination of Stephen Fry's Mythos (or, maybe more aptly, Rick Riordan's Greek Gods) and Apotheke NYC's cocktail book.

I made a few of the recipes with my mom and found that they range from classic and delicious to... a bit odd. There were a few misses (one in particular that stood out combined red wine with lemon and lime juice and moonshine). There were, however, also quite a few drinks that will be new staples in our house! I loved The Cytherean Cocktail, The Earthshaker and Pandora's Jar.

Overall, I found some of the shorts about the characters and stories to be lacking. The writers' musings on Medusa particularly didn't sit well with me; they lacked nuance. Considering the beautiful illustrations, I still might pick myself up a copy to have on my cookbook shelf.