Kentucky Derby weekend is a spectacle of tradition, where thundering hooves, elaborate hats and the refreshing chill of a mint julep converge.
As America’s most famous horse race unfolds at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky, the sheer scale of mint julep consumption is staggering.
More than 125,000 of these iconic cocktails are consumed annually during the two-day festival. This monumental feat requires an estimated 10,000 bottles of Kentucky bourbon, 2,250 pounds of freshly harvested mint, and a colossal 475,000 pounds of ice, according to the event’s website.
Yet, enjoying this classic American libation doesn’t necessitate a trip to the track; its simple elegance, a mix of sugar, water, fresh mint, crushed ice, and bourbon, makes it easily replicable at home.
While mint juleps have been a fixture at the Kentucky Derby since its inception in the late 19th century, their status as the race’s signature drink truly solidified in the 1930s. This pivotal moment occurred when the Derby introduced commemorative cups for the cocktail, which quickly became coveted souvenirs.
Martha Dalton, co-founder of Never Say Die bourbon, recounts how the organizers embraced this trend.
“Instead of kind of fighting against that, they embraced it. And so from then on, (the mint julep) really became completely synonymous with the Derby,” she explains.
Dalton’s company itself draws its name from a Derby-winning racehorse, famously said to have been revived with a shot of whiskey as a foal. The julep’s lineage, she notes, stretches back to ancient Persia, where a sweetened rose water tonic known as “gulab” was valued for its medicinal properties.
This tradition evolved through medieval Europe, where alcohol was introduced, eventually making its way to the American South, a region blessed with an abundance of both mint and bourbon distilleries.
The enduring Southern charm of the mint julep lies in its subtle complexities, according to Angelos Bafas, bartender and co-founder of London’s Cato bar.
“Every sip is slightly different,” Bafas, whose bar is named after 19th-century Manhattan bartender Cato Alexander, who is credited with popularizing juleps, explains.
He adds, “The ice dilutes and the aromatics of the bourbon open up as the day proceeds.”
For those looking to recreate a traditional mint julep at home, Bafas emphasizes the critical role of stirring the ice. This technique is essential for achieving the perfect balance of coldness and dilution, with stirring continuing until the outside of the cup develops a frosty sheen.
“People tend to forget that water is an ingredient, and it’s actually one very active and important ingredient when it comes to juleps as it allows the bourbon to shine through. And also it allows the drink to be more palatable,” he advises.
When it comes to the mint, Bafas suggests a gentle approach. Plucking leaves from a homegrown plant and lightly brushing them against the cup, he stresses that mint should be “slapped” – a light tap – rather than “muddled” or mashed.
“The mint has to release the delicate aromas,” he explains, warning that muddling “can give you this kind of grassy very chlorophyll flavor.”
To further elevate the classic mint julep, Bafas suggests incorporating a few drops of aromatic bitters, which he says “give a bit of flavor and to bring some body to the game.” F
or those inclined to experiment, the classic cocktail offers ample room for creative twists. Bafas himself crafts a “London Julep,” a variation that uses slightly less bourbon and introduces elderflower liqueur.
This results in a sweeter, more accessible version of the drink, imbued with a distinctively English character. He also proposes a highball julep, achieved by simply adding a splash of soda. Bafas playfully describes this as “technically a mojito made with bourbon, but you know, it’s based on the DNA of juleps.”
Cato Classic Mint Julep Recipe:
Single Serve
Ingredients:
2 oz bourbon whiskey
0.5 oz filtered water
0.5 oz simple syrup
3 dashes Angostura bitters
10 fresh mint leaves
4 drops of mint tincture (optional)
Crushed ice in a metal cup
Directions:
Pour the whiskey into a julep cup, lightly slap the mint leaves to release their aroma, and add them in. Stir briefly, then add the remaining ingredients and crushed ice. Stir until the cup turns frosty on the outside, then top with more crushed ice, garnish with a fresh mint sprig, and serve with a straw.
The ultimate challenge, then, is to savor your meticulously crafted drink for longer than the legendary Secretariat’s 1973 race record of 1 minute 59.40 seconds.
