Nectar is a drink consumed by the gods. In Greek mythology, it is sometimes said to grant immortality to whoever drinks it, although in the myth of the Trojan horse, they were given Ambrosia and Nectar from the goddess Athena, but it did not grant them immortality. It does not grant immortality in the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series either. It is closely related to Ambrosia (both substances possess healing properties).
Nectar can be consumed in small amounts by wounded demigods. It can also heal wounds if poured directly onto the affected area. If consumed by mortals it will kill them.
In The Lightning Thief, Percy describes a glass of Nectar with ice cubes as resembling “iced apple juice”, indicating that Nectar appears as a transparent liquid with a deep golden color.
There are two known sources of Nectar: the groves of Mount Olympus, where it accumulates on tree leaves every morning like dew; and the Underworld, where it is harvested from trees in the same way as maple syrup.
Percy Jackson and the Olympians[]
Nectar is used as a healing drink when someone is injured. Demigods can drink it, but if they have too much of it, they are in danger of being incinerated. Humans can't drink it at all without being incinerated. It has been implied that nectar tastes like anything the drinker likes (their favorite food or drink). This is shown in The Lightning Thief, when after recovering from the battle with the Minotaur, Percy Jackson is surprised to find that the nectar tastes like his mother's blue chocolate chip cookies.
The Senior Year Adventures[]
The Chalice of the Gods[]
Concentrated nectar is offered by Iris as a way to locate the thief of the Chalice, in exchange for Percy retrieving her Kerkeryon from Yonkers. She tells Percy, Annabeth, and Grover how concentrated nectar would burn any demigod or mortal to cinders if consumed. It is later added that just a whiff of the substance would put a demigod in a coma. The three of them use it to track the Chalice itself, as a single drop will be drawn to the Chalice like a magnet.
Wrath of the Triple Goddess[]
Gale brings Percy and Annabeth some vials of nectar to help them heal from the toll that using Hecate's Torches took on them both.
On their secret trip through the Underworld, Nico and Will pass through a Nectar farm, where the liquid is gathered from trees. Geryon now manages the farm after he was sent to Tartarus during the events of The Battle of the Labyrinth, instead of returning to his ranch in the mortal world.