Caraway is the surprise here. Kümmel, the sweet caraway liqueur of northern Europe, brings a savory, bread-like spice to gin and dry vermouth, and a little lemon keeps the whole thing fresh and lifted.
1¼ oz
London dry gine.g. Tanqueray · Gordon's · Beefeater · Bombay Sapphire · Sipsmith
¾ oz
kümmele.g. Wolfschmidt · Mentzendorff · Helbing
¾ oz
dry vermouthe.g. Noilly Prat · Martini · Dolin · Cinzano
¼ oz
lemon juice
Garnish: Lemon twist · Ice: Served up, no ice
Wolfram
Dry and herbal, with juniper, a clear caraway and anise spice, light sweetness and a fresh lemon edge. Fairly strong.
The Wolfram is an obscure short drink with little documented history, and no reliable record of its creator or origin exists. Its character comes from kümmel, a clear liqueur flavored mainly with caraway, often with cumin and fennel, which has a long tradition in Germany, the Netherlands and the Baltic region and was once a common after-dinner drink in Britain.
Structurally the Wolfram sits between a dry Martini-style gin drink and a light sour: gin and dry vermouth form the base, the kümmel provides sweetness and spice, and a small amount of lemon juice adds freshness. It is a good way to use a bottle of kümmel and to see how well caraway pairs with gin botanicals.
A clear liqueur flavored mainly with caraway seeds, sometimes with cumin and fennel, traditional in Germany, the Netherlands and the Baltic region.
Not really, since kümmel defines the drink. A caraway-heavy aquavit with a little sugar syrup comes close.
Yes. It is made almost entirely from spirits and fortified wine, with only a little lemon juice.
The perfect sound
A cool, herbal drink between Berlin cabaret and steel.
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