A wonderful way to end a meal - Kummel, served ice-cold, is a great digestif. The history is long and fascinating, tracing its roots back over 4 centuries.
Kummel is a schnapps-like liqueur flavoured with cumin, a variant of the caraway seed. The whistle-clean spicy flavours blend superbly with the just off-dry spirit which allows it to lend itself well to cocktails.
Mentzendorff Kummel was founded in 1823. It all started and revolved around Allasch Castle, in Livonia about 40 kilometres from the Baltic Port of Riga. Originally the old family recipe of the Baron von Blanckenhagen was made for the enjoyment of their friends, a Kummel Liqueur called Allasch Kummel.
An export firm in Riga, named "Mentzendorff" suggested to the Barons that they should make the Kummel for export. Other European Liqueur manufacturers began to imitate the liqueur and closely copied the label, without succeeding however to match
the genuine 'finesse' of the original Mentzendorff Kummel.
Nowadays, the Allasch Kummel is known as Mentzendorff Kummel. It is produced at Saumur, in France, by the oldest distillery in the Loire Valley, The Combier distillery, which was founded in 1834.
Technical Characteristics:
ABV - 38%
Review:
“If your guests refuse to leave, uncork a magnificent magnum of Mentzendorff Kummel. This, the finest of all digestifs, will ease the digestion of even the heartiest meals while keeping the party going indefinitely.”
Jonathan Ray, telegraph.co.uk, 9 February 2009
