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The Pillow Mint is named for what it tastes like, which is the chocolate mint left on a hotel pillow. Two ounces of Irish whiskey take the base, half an ounce of coffee liqueur supplies the chocolate note, and a splash of mint schnapps finishes it. It is built directly in the glass and stirred, so there is nothing to it beyond getting the proportions right.
Irish whiskey is a deliberate choice rather than an arbitrary one. It is softer and less oaky than bourbon and carries no rye spice, which leaves room for the coffee and mint to come through cleanly. The coffee liqueur reads as chocolate more than coffee once the mint arrives, which is the small trick that makes the name land.
Glass: Old-fashioned glass | Strength: Strong | Serves: 1 | Prep Time: 2 minutes
Bartender’s tip: A splash means a splash. Mint schnapps is aggressive and will flatten everything else in the glass if you pour with a heavy hand, so start with a quarter ounce and adjust upward if you want more. Build it over a large ice cube rather than in an empty glass. The original directions skip the ice, but two and a half ounces of spirit at room temperature is a hard drink to sip, and slow dilution suits this one.
Steps
- Pour whiskey into an old-fashioned glass, and add kahlua.
- Splash the mint schnapps, stir, and serve.
