A Mint Julep Perfect for Warmer Weather

Back in our service industry days, so, like, 2013 to 2015, we’d both get home sometime after midnight and our heads would still be swirling with horrors like:

“What’s arugula?” 

and raucous laughter 

and “Can you repeat the specials?” 

and “What do you mean they can’t caramelize the onions?” 

and “You can’t split the bill–are you just bad at math?” 

and more raucous laughter 

and “Can you turn the music down and the air up?” 

and “Can you turn the music up and the air down?” 

and “Can you grab the chef? I must thank them in person.”

And oh my god I’m about to have a panic attack remembering all of the ways people spoke to both of us all the time on a daily basis. The service industry is literally emotionally damaging and I must say it here… if I ever waited on you personally: I hated it.

Back to what I was saying. We’d get home pretty late, and we’d both be in a little bit of a funk from the night’s events, so we’d make time for sitting down and having conversation and filling each other's hearts with human interaction that was full of love.

Those late nights would often include one single cocktail together, which was a nice enjoyment after a night of serving everyone else. Matt had more experience bartending, and at one point was behind the bar at a pretty swanky restaurant and got a kick out of trying new recipes. He’d come home with an idea in mind and that would be the drink of the evening for us to vent to each other and laugh and enjoy each others’ company. 

During that period of our lives, bourbon was an especially heavy hitter at our home bar. We loved making old fashioneds and Manhattans and, yes, even the occasional mint julep. While they weren’t as beautiful as the one’s in today’s post (because it was midnight and we weren’t photographing it!), they were every bit as simple and delicious. 

What really makes a mint julep taste correct is using quality bourbon and crushed ice – whenever you’ve got a recipe with just a few ingredients, quality is key in making it as good as it can be. Below we’re sharing a new favorite recipe for a mint julep: the Woodford Reserve Straight Bourbon Whiskey Mint Julep. It’s the perfect drink for enjoying at a Kentucky Derby watch party, or just to make for you and your loved one at the end of a long day when you both could use each others’ company.

Woodford Reserve Mint Julep

makes 1 cocktail

Ingredients

2 oz. Straight Bourbon Whiskey

1/2 oz. 2:1 simple syrup*

3 Fresh Mint Leaves

Crushed Ice

* * 2:1 simple syrup can be store bought or made by whisking two parts cane sugar into one part boiling water and stirring until dissolved. Let cool before using.

Instructions

STEP 1: Express the essential oils in the mint and rub them inside the glass.

STEP 2: To the same glass, add simple syrup, bourbon, and crushed ice.

STEP 3: Stir.

STEP 4: Garnish with more ice, fresh mint, and powdered sugar.

Copper cups | There’s just something about drinking out of an ice-cold, frosted copper cup that feels festive!

Straws | Gotta have the copper straws with the copper cups, of course.

Copper jigger | This hammered copper jigger is about to transform your at-home cocktail game.
Ice maker | Yes, we did buy this to make adult snow cones all summer long and no, we don’t regret it.

Whiskey | Preferably Woodford Reserve, or something equality high quality.