The Gentleman’s Julep

Here are six unique ways you can enjoy mint juleps! Let’s get this party started!

Ingredients

• mint
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 3 ounces whiskey – bourbon
• old-fashioned glass

Preparation

Place 5 or 6 leaves of mint in the bottom of a pre-chilled, dry 12-ounce glass or silver beaker. Add sugar and crush with a muddler. Pack glass with finely cracked ice. Pour a generous 3 ounces of Kentucky bourbon over the ice. Stir briskly until the glass is frosty. Add more ice and stir again before serving. Stick a few sprigs of mint into the ice. If you want more of a mint flavor, lightly cover about 10 sprigs of mint with superfine sugar, add an ounce of spring water, macerate, let stand for 10-15 minutes, and strain through a fine sieve into the ice-filled glass. Next, add whiskey and proceed as above.

Classic Mint Julep

Ingredients

• 3 fresh mint leaves
• Crushed ice
• 1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons (1 ounce) bourbon
• 1 (4-inch) cocktail straw or coffee stirrer
• 1 fresh mint sprig
• Powdered sugar
• 1 tablespoon mint simple syrup

Preparation

Place mint leaves and syrup in a chilled julep cup. Gently press leaves against cup with back of spoon to release flavors. Pack cup tightly with crushed ice; pour bourbon over ice. Insert straw, place mint sprig directly next to straw, and serve. Sprinkle with powdered sugar.

Blueberry Mint Juleps

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 ounces bourbon
• 1 ounce mint simple syrup
• 1 ounce mint blueberry puree
• Crushed ice
• Fresh mint leaves

mint simple syrup

• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup water
• 1 bunch of mint leaves

blueberry mint puree

• 2/3 cup fresh blueberries
• 2 tablespoons mint simple syrup

Preparation

Combine bourbon, mint simple syrup, and mint blueberry puree together and shake or stir well. Pour over crushed ice and serve with extra mint leaves.

Mint simple syrup: Combine sugar, mint, and water together in a small saucepan and heat over high heat until boiling, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to low and cook for another minute or so, then set aside to cool completely. Remove mint before using. You can do this ahead of time and store it in the fridge!

Blueberry mint puree: In a mini food processor or blender, combine blueberries and mint simple syrup until pureed.

Blood Orange Mint Julep

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup water
• zest of blood orange
• 8 ounces bourbon
• Blood orange bitters
• Handful fresh mint
• 1 Blood orange cut into slices
• Ice

Preparation

In a saucepan, add sugar, water, and orange zest. Bring to a slight simmer, consistently stirring until the sugar has dissolved. Remove from heat and let it cool. Muddle mint and orange slices in the bottom of two glasses. Add ice, bourbon, bitters, and simple syrup. Stir to combine and serve.

Sparkling Ginger Mint Julep

Ingredients

• 6 ounces ginger beer
• 2 ounces bourbon
• about 8 mint leaves
• Ice

Preparation

Muddle the ginger beer, 3 mint sprigs and bourbon together in a glass until the mint has released its flavor. Fill the glass with crushed ice, then garnish with remaining mint sprig. (Optional: If you do not like the remaining muddled mint leaves, you can strain the julep before adding the ice and garnishing with the mint sprig.)

Blackberry Mint Julep

Ingredients

• ½ cup water
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• ½ cup fresh blackberries, plus more for garnish
• ½ cup fresh mint leaves, loosely packed, plus more for garnish
• 4 ounces bourbon whiskey
• lots of ice

Preparation

Combine the water and sugar in a small sauce pot. Place over medium-high heat and bring to a simmer. Continue to cook for about 5 minutes, or until the sugar has dissolved. Set to the side and cool. Depending on how big your cocktail shaker is, you’re probably going to have to do this in batches. Start by adding the blackberries and mint to the bottom of the shaker. Using a small spoon or wooden spoon, muddle the ingredients together to develop their natural flavor. Throw in the bourbon, simple syrup to taste, and shake vigorously to combine and extract the most flavor. Strain the drink into cups that have been packed with shaved ice. Garnish with a sprig of mint and a fresh blackberry.