Whiskey Cocktails: Bourbon
Mint Julep
Ingredients
2.25 oz. Blanton's Bourbon Single Barrel
8-12 Loose mint leaves
Garnish
Fresh mint
Preparation
Smack mint leaves between hands to release oils. Rub the inside of a Julep tin with mint leaves. Add the remaining ingredients to the Julep tin. Add ice, swizzle, and add more ice. Garnish with a mint bouquet.
Cocktail Story
The Mint Julep has deep roots in the American South, predating the cocktail by a long stretch. It is first mentioned in print in 1803, where it was described as a deceptively simple mixed drink that required specific starting components: strong liquor, fresh mint, quality ice, and a julep tin. Leave out any of these things, or try substituting them, and you’re well on your way to something that is, well, not quite a julep. Enjoyed by the upper class on long, hot, and uneventful, carriage rides across the South, juleps were often made with fine rum or brandy. Bourbon was the spirit of choice for poorer Southerners, and became the standard bearer for a proper Mint Julep. The turn of the century brought with it the age of the cocktail as well as the Prohibition, which led to the decline of those long-standing American drinks that relied on rustic simplicity. One tradition, however, held on strong: that of enjoying a Mint Julep or two in anticipation of the yearly Kentucky Derby. In 1938, the Mint Julep was deemed the official beverage of the Kentucky Derby, restoring the drink’s historical significance and solidifying its ties with the cultural heart of the American South.