Well, it’s happened: I think we finally found some alcohol that’s grosser than light beer. Tamworth Distilling in New Hampshire is releasing a new limited-edition whiskey that’s flavored with, wait for it, beaver. Well, technically, beaver secretions. But is it really worth nitpicking the difference there?
The whiskey is infused with castoreum, which is the oil that beavers have in little sacs by their tails that they use to mark their territory. Castoreum is actually a pretty common food additive, by the way, because it’s a cheap substitute for vanilla, strawberry, and raspberry. And the FDA lets companies just list it in ingredients as “natural flavoring” and not “beaver secretions.”
So you’ve probably eaten it without realizing it. But if you want to see what it does to whiskey, the distillery says, “it exudes a leathery, raspberry taste, and acts to fortify the whiskey flavors.”
It will be available for a limited time at a handful of liquor stores. Fingers crossed we get it here? Oh, and they’re calling it Eau de Musc, or “Water of Musk.”
