“When all is ready, assemble your guests on the porch or in the garden, where the aroma of the juleps will rise Heavenward and make the birds sing. Propose a worthy toast, raise the goblet to your lips, bury your nose in the mint, inhale a deep breath of its fragrance and sip the nectar of the gods.” – Excerpt from a letter from Lieutenant General Simon B. Buckner, Jr., USA to Major General William D. Connor dated March 30, 1937. Buckner Jr was known to have served this family mint julep recipe to President Franklin Delano Roosevelt.
Sounds delicious, doesn’t it? So why don’t more people drink it? Well if you don’t like bourbon this isn’t the drink for you but this simple combination of bourbon, sugar, mint and ice is no pushover; it’s the official drink of the Kentucky Derby; the pre-cursor to the famous Mojito; and a damn fine way to enjoy America’s native spirit.
The word ‘julep’ is actually derived from the arabic word ‘julab’, which means ‘rosewater’. It is said that centuries ago there was an Arabic drink called a julab made with water and rose petals. Its fragrant qualities made it popular throughout Europe and when it made its way to the Mediterranean the locals switched the rose petals for the more abundant mint. This then traveled through Europe where it was paired with cognac or peach brandy. The combination of hot American summers and a new style of whiskey – bourbon – fuelled the birth of the Mint Julep in Kentucky sometime in the 1600s (although no one’s too sure). Some even say that farmers drank it like we drink a coffee today, first thing in the morning for a bit of a kick.
As the pride and joy of Kentucky, the Mint Julep has become synonymous with the famed Kentucky Derby, a huge horse racing carnival held at Churchill Downs every May. It became the signature drink of the Carnival in 1938 when they started to serve the pewter glasses as souvenirs for 75 cents. Today, more than 80,000 juleps are served over the two-day event.
The traditional serving of this drink in the Deep South was as much about the ceremony as it was the drink itself. It was served to family and guests on a hot summer afternoons with the greatest fanfare and flourish to show respect for those receiving it. The recipe varied from home to home. Just like everyone’s mum has their own take on a bolognese sauce… you get the idea. In fact, in a 1936 copy of Irvin S. Cobb’s Own Recipe Book, he says, “…well, down our way we’ve always had a theory that the Civil War was not brought on by Secession or Slavery or the State’s Rights issue. These matters contributed to the quarrel, but there is a deeper reason. It was brought on by some Yankee coming down south and putting nutmeg in a julep. So our folks just up and left the Union flat.”
The key thing to remember when putting together a mint julep is the quality and freshness of your ingredients. Use a good quality bourbon — we’ve used Buffalo Trace in this recipe — and fresh mint and ensure you don’t over-sweeten the drink. Remember, the bourbon is the star of this drink, so let it shine.
Need a little more acid in your life? Well, the recipe below for a Southern Sour, employing the newly reformulated Southern Comfort, is one you’ll be pleasantly surprised with: it’s punchy, it’s got a good whack of whisky thanks to the new (old) recipe) and it’ll do just nicely on a hot summer’s day.
Mint Julep recipe
- 60ml Buffalo Trace
- 8-10 large mint leaves
- Teaspoon of white sugar
- Dash of spring water
Gently muddle mint, sugar and water in a Julep cup.Add Bourbon and mix together. Half fill the glass with crushed ice and stir well. Fill the remainder of the glass with crushed ice. Garnish with mint.
Southern Sour
- 60ml Southern Comfort Original
- 20ml fresh lemon juice
- 10ml sugar syrup
- egg white
Dry shake all ingredients, then shake with ice. strain over ice in a Sour glass.