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Someone was pleased with themselves over this name, and fairly so. Piece of Mind is vodka and kummel, and a piece of your mind is roughly what the kummel intends to give you.
Kummel is the reason to pay attention. It is a clear grain-based liqueur flavored with caraway, cumin and fennel, Dutch or German depending on which distiller you ask, and it tastes far more like a savory herb drawer than a liqueur has any business tasting. Caraway is the dominant note, which means anyone expecting sweetness gets rye bread instead. Against an ounce and a half of vodka, an ounce of kummel is not a seasoning, it is the entire personality of the drink.
There is a reason this one turns up in golf clubhouses. Kummel has a long-standing reputation among golfers as a settler of nerves before a difficult putt, to the point that it is still stocked behind bars at courses where nothing else unusual is.
Glass: Old-fashioned glass | Strength: Strong | Serves: 1 | Prep Time: 2 minutes
Bartender’s tip: Stir this properly cold and do not skip the lemon twist. Caraway turns heavy and slightly soapy when a drink warms up, and both the chill and the citrus oil keep it bright. If a full ounce of kummel is too assertive, pull it back to half and let the vodka carry more, though at that point you are drinking cold vodka with an opinion.
Steps
- Pour the vodka and kummel into an old-fashioned glass almost filled with ice cubes.
- Stir well, garnish with a twist of lemon, and serve.
