The Vichy Cycle cocktail is a sophisticated collaboration of French vermouth and German kümmel with a clever name. Have you ever noticed that some of the best cocktails have clever names? I suppose that’s because it’s easy to be clever when you’re drinking.
I first encountered this drink several years ago at the Zig Zag Cafe in Seattle on a rainy evening just before the holidays. I was researching drinks for my book Savory Cocktails and was smart enough to know that Zig Zag Cafe needed to be part of my research. Zig Zag Cafe is my kind of bar – first, because it’s so hard to find, and second, because once you find it you’ll never forget it. At least I didn’t. Nor did I forget the perfectly savory notes of the Vichy Cycle cocktail served to me by Erik Hakkinen. I even included the drink as conceived by Erik in my book.
The drink is defined by the super savory caraway and cumin seed kümmel liqueur. It’s a bold spirit and might be a bit challenging to many palates, but cocktail geeks love it. The past several years have seen an explosion in the popularity of funky herbal liqueurs such as Cynar, Fernet-Branca, and kümmel. They’re all relics of a time when spirits were made by monks and aristocrats and were thought to have medicinal properties.
Kümmel
If you’re scratching your head at every mention I make of kümmel, don’t worry. Kümmel was practically unheard of in North America until this latest cocktail revolution. However, the Brits have always enjoyed it, especially among the “upper-crust”. It seems kümmel is particularly popular with anyone who grew up in a stodgy boarding-school. It crops up in David Niven’s autobiography, The Moon’s a Balloon and Evelyn Waugh’s Vile Bodies. It even makes an appearance in Ian Fleming’s novel Goldfinger, when “tough cheery men” quaff double kümmels after lunch. GREG
Ingredients
- 2 ounce Dupont Fine Reserve Calvados
- 1 ounce Dolin Dry Vermouth
- ½ ounce Gilka Kaiser Kümmel
- 2 dash The Bitter Truth Jerry Thomas’ Own Decanter Bitters
- 1 lemon twist (as garnish)
Directions
Combine the Calvados, vermouth, kümmel and bitters in a mixing glass half-filled with ice. Stir until chilled and properly diluted, about 20 seconds. Julep strain into chilled coupe or cocktail glass. Garnish with a lemon twist; its oil expressed onto the surface and rubbed onto the rim of the drink then dropped on top, peel side up. Makes 1.
thank you for this, missed having an English boarding school education so missed my exposure to kummel, but sounds wonderful!
I’ve never heard of this drink! Sounds terrific. I have heard of the Zig Zag Cafe, but never been there. I definitely need to make a pilgrimage. 🙂
What a beautiful cocktail and that glass just rocks it! Clever name indeed. I must search for some kummel next time I’m in Europe!
I thought Vichy Cycle was a spinning class. ALL THIS TIME I COULD’VE BEEN DRINKING! Merry Christmas, Greg.
Happy Holidays Greg! This drink is lovely and sounds delicious. What a wonderful way to celebrate. Happy New Year too!
I do love clever titles for cocktails… and you are so right: we all get much cleverer with every sip!
My best to you and Ken, and your family, for this holiday season. Be merry. Be bright. Be clever. Always.