Mint Julep
The Mint Julep is a very old cocktail from the Southern States of the USA, and although very simple and very delicious, it is not a cocktail you can just throw any old whiskey into and expect perfect results.
The whiskey in a Julep needs to have a high alcohol percentage so that the flavour doesn’t get washed away by all of the meltwater. I personally recommend Wild Turkey 101, as it stands alone flavour-wise and is strong enough to maintain its character as the crushed ice melts.
Aged Tradition and Preparation
The recommended preparation for a Mint Julep is to soak the mint leaves in the whiskey for a minimum of four hours to overnight. This allows the alcohol to overcome the mint and the mint to overcome the alcohol. Once the mint has infused its flavour, you can discard the leaves—they have done their job and aren’t required to sit in the glass and interfere with your drinking pleasure.
A Medicinal Past
A Julep was originally an acronym for medicine. In the 1800s, medicines rarely tasted pleasant, so mint and sugar were often infused into strong-tasting tonics to make them more bearable. For many years, a julep referred to any alcoholic beverage infused with mint and sugar and could be made with any number of base spirits.
Today, however, when we say Julep, we mean the Mint Julep, made with Kentucky whiskey.
A Kentucky Derby Classic
Since 1938, the Mint Julep has been promoted by Churchill Downs in association with the Kentucky Derby and the Kentucky Oaks. This two-day annual horse-racing carnival attracts visitors from all over the world. It is estimated that during the event, up to 70,000 Mint Juleps are served each day.
Mint Julep Cocktail Recipe Ingredients:
- 70 ml Wild Turkey 101
- 10 ml Sugar Syrup
- 12 Mint Leaves
- 2 dashes Angostura Bitters
Mint Julep Instructions:
- Shake all ingredients with ice and strain into a Julep cup (an old-fashioned glass will do if you don’t have Julep cups) half-filled with crushed ice.
- Stir into the ice, then top up the glass with more crushed ice and stir again.
- Repeat this process until the cup or glass is full.
- Garnish with a bouquet of mint leaves.
