Mint julep
A quick and easy guide to ‘the drink of the Kentucky Derby’ and one of the most refreshing whisky cocktails. With bourbon, fresh mint and a simple sugar syrup, you’re just a few steps away from making this classic at home.
Method
For the sugar syrup, put the caster sugar in a small non-stick saucepan over a medium heat and pour in the water. Stir and bring to the boil.
Once the sugar has dissolved and the liquid is clear, take the pan off the heat and leave to cool.
Pour 10ml/2 teaspoons of the cooled sugar syrup into a julep cup with all the remaining ingredients except the mint sprig.
Carefully ‘churn’ the ingredients in the cup by stirring from top to bottom. By churning instead of shaking, you enhance the mint flavour.
Garnish with a little more crushed ice and a big sprig of mint.
Recipe Tips
If you don’t want to waste the mint stalks, try infusing the sugar syrup with them. Scale up the syrup ingredients with a ratio of 2:1 if you’d like to make more. It’s easier to make in larger batches and keeps for at least 2 weeks in the fridge.