By Bob Lipinski
The word julep can be traced back over 600 years and stems from the Arabic julab or Persian jul-ab, meaning “rosewater.” The term has been referenced in English literature as early as 1400, originally referring to “a syrup composed solely of water and sugar.” Prior to the founding of America, mint and sugar were already being combined with distilled spirits. Julep is also spelled julip in parts of the United States.
The mint julep has roots in Virginia. Englishman John Davis described the drink in his 1803 book “Travels of Four Years and a Half in the United States” as “a dram of spirituous liquor that has mint steeped in it, taken by Virginians of a morning.” The true Southern-style mint julep coincided with the discovery of Kentucky bourbon whiskey around the late 1700s. It is speculated that prior to bourbon, rum, brandy and especially peach brandy were used.
The Kentucky Derby Museum in Louisville reports that the mint julep became Churchill Downs’ (named after John and Henry Churchill) signature drink in 1938, the year they began serving it in souvenir glasses for 75 cents. The limited supply glasses became extremely popular and were coveted by collectors until 1974, when retail stores began selling the glasses in honor of the Derby’s 100th anniversary on May 17, 1875. The Kentucky Derby reports there are 120,000 mint juleps sold during the Kentucky Oaks and Kentucky Derby each year.
Another name for a small mint julep is a “smash;” a drink made from bourbon whiskey, or other distilled spirits, mixed with sugar and mint, which dates to the 1840s.
Some lovers of the mint julep were Edgar Allan Poe, U.S. Senator Henry Clay from Kentucky, and U.S. Presidents John Tyler and Theodore Roosevelt.
Mint Julip
Ingredients:
1 teaspoon superfine sugar
3 to 4 sprigs of spearmint
1/2 teaspoon cool water
3 to 4 ounces bourbon whiskey
Crushed ice
Directions:
Place the superfine sugar into a shallow dish and add mint, barely covering this with water. Lightly crush the mint leaves and rub them around the rim of a julep glass and discard. Fill the cup 3/4 full of crushed ice and bourbon. Then add the crushed mint, sugar, and water mixture, and stir. On top of this, place several sprigs of mint dusted with powdered sugar. Wait about 30 seconds and all at once the cup or glass will become encrusted with a layer of white frost. Sip and enjoy.
Bob Lipinski is the author of 10 books, including “101: Everything You Need To Know About Whiskey” and “Italian Wine & Cheese Made Simple” (available on Amazon.com). He consults and conducts training seminars on Wine, Spirits, and Food and is available for speaking engagements. He can be reached at www.boblipinski.com OR [email protected].
