The Mint Julep

Rain was pummeling Churchill Downs this morning, turning the dirt track into a muddy, soggy mess for the Kentucky Derby. The weather is playing havoc for those who look forward to the racing, but those of us who just use the Derby as an excuse to drink Mint Juleps can carry on as usual.

The Mint Julep

½ oz. simple syrup
3 oz. bourbon
Fresh mint leaves

Gently muddle the mint and syrup in the bottom of a silver julep cup, fill with crushed ice and add bourbon, then stir until frost forms on the outside of the cup. Fill with more crushed ice and garnish with sprigs of mint. Use short straws so you’ll have to stick your nose into the mint garnish when sipping.

The Georgia Mint Julep
Adapted from Vintage Spirits and Forgotten Cocktails by Ted Haigh


Fresh mint leaves
Dash simple syrup
2 oz. cognac
1 oz. peach brandy

Muddle the mint and simple syrup in your julep cup, add cognac, peach brandy, and crushed ice, then stir until the cup is frosty. Top up with more crushed ice, garnish with mint sprigs and serve with short straws.

In the same book, Haigh recounts a 1910 recipe that instructs one to harvest only the choicest sprigs of mint as the evening’s dew is about to form on them, to carefully prepare the simple syrup and to measure out half a tumbler of whiskey, then to pour the whiskey into an frosted silver cup, throw away the mint and syrup and drink the whiskey. This recipe is likely the one I’ll be using later today when I get together with my friends, minus all the mint-plucking, syrup-preparing and silver cups…

Enjoy the day, whatever you're drinking!