Mint Julep

Ingredients

Instructions

1. 1

   Pick the leaves from 4 of the 12 sprigs of mint; reserve the remaining sprigs for garnish. Divide the mint leaves between 2 chilled julep cups or short tumblers. Add the simple syrup and powdered sugar to the cups.

2. 2

   Gently muddle the mint with the syrup and sugar just until the leaves are bruised and fragrant, not shredded; over-muddling can make the drink taste grassy and bitter.

3. 3

   Pour 60 ml bourbon into each cup. Fill each cup halfway with crushed ice and stir for 10-15 seconds until the outside of the cup turns very cold. This quick stir starts the dilution that makes a julep smooth rather than harsh.

4. 4

   Top each cup into a rounded mound with the remaining crushed ice. Gently press in 1 garnish mint sprig per drink beside the straw position, lightly clapping the mint first to release its aroma.

5. 5

   Serve immediately. For the classic presentation, dust the ice mound very lightly with a pinch of extra powdered sugar if desired and drink while the cup is frosty.

Nutrition per serving

Notes

• •Chill the cups in the freezer for 5 minutes beforehand if you want a more traditional frosted exterior; this time is not included in the recipe timing.
• •Use good-quality crushed ice, not cubes, because the fast chilling and slight dilution are essential to the texture of a proper julep.
• •If you prefer a slightly sweeter classic Derby-style drink, increase the simple syrup to 40 ml total.
• •A metal julep cup is traditional, but a heavy rocks glass works well for home service.

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