Another Derby is in the books. Raise a glass to celebrate this year’s winner, Country House.
Runnin’ Roughshod
Handcrafted by Allen Lancaster, Master Mixologist at The Bar at The Spectator, Runnin’ Roughshod takes its inspiration from the pack coming down the homestretch. Earthy notes starting with the beetroot, subtle spice and floral notes from pink peppercorns, and mild sweetness and astringency from the mint leaves/bitters leave this libation well balanced.
Ingredients
2 ounces Makers Mark Private Select Bourbon
0.5 ounces Beetroot-Pink Peppercorn Gomme Syrup
2 Dashes Fee Bros Mint Bitters
8 mint leaves
Directions
Put mint leaves and gomme syrup into julep cup and muddle. Add bourbon and fill vessel halfway with crushed ice. Twist bar spoon or swizzle stick between hands to blend ingredients. Top with more crushed ice and garnish with lotus root and mint sprigs.
Raspberry Julep
Handcrafted by mixologist Lauren Kritt on the private rooftop terrace of the only waterfront property in the Historic District, guests visiting Charleston’s HarbourView Inn can sip on the seasonally-inspired Raspberry Julep.
Ingredients
2 ounces Larceny Bourbon
2 ounces Cannonborough Raspberry Mint Soda
0.5 ounces simple syrup
Mint sprig, raspberry garnish
Directions
Combine all ingredients and garnish with raspberry and mint leaves.
Knob Creek® Mint Julep
Ingredients
1-1/2 parts Knob Creek® Bourbon
2 bunches mint
1 part simple syrup
1 splash soda
Directions
Mix sprigs of mint with simple syrup and a splash of soda. Fill highball glass with fine crushed ice and pour in bourbon. Lift out and decorate with two mint leaves. Add powdered sugar over mint to add an optional frosted appearance.
Basil Hayden’s® Bourbon Thyme Julep
Ingredients
2 parts Basil Hayden’s® Bourbon
1 bar spoon simple syrup
1 dash Angostura® Bitters
6 Fresh thyme sprigs (one for garnish)
Directions
Muddle fresh thyme in a rocks glass. Combine remaining ingredients in a mixing glass with ice and stir until cold. Fine strain into a rocks glass filled with ice. Garnish with a toasted thyme sprig.
From Finlandia, the official vodka of the Kentucky Derby:
The Finlandia Oaks Lily®
Ingredients
1-1/4 ounces Finlandia Classic Vodka
1 ounce sweet and sour mix
1/4 ounce Triple Sec
3 ounces cranberry juice
Blackberry and lemon peel for garnish
Directions
Combine ingredients over crushed ice in an Official Oaks Lily souvenir glass. Garnish with a fresh blackberry and lemon peel.
The Finnish Line
Ingredients
1-1/4 ounces Finlandia Grapefruit Vodka
4 ounces sparkling grapefruit water
Grapefruit slice for garnish
Directions
Combine ingredients over crushed ice. Garnish with a grapefruit slice.
Finnish Mule
Ingredients
1 ounce Finlandia Grapefruit Vodka
3 ounces ginger beer
1/4ounce lime juice
Cucumber slice, lime wedge and ginger stick for garnish
Directions
Mix ingredients in an ice-filled copper mug. Garnish with a cucumber slice, lime wedge and ginger stick.
Mint Julep
Ingredients
3-4 fresh mint leaves
2 ounces Hillrock Solera Bourbon
1/2 ounce simple syrup
Fresh mint leaves for garnish
Directions
In a rocks glass, gently muddle the mint leaves to release their oils. Fill the glass with crushed ice and pour the bourbon and simple syrup over the ice. Stir just long enough to blend the ingredients. Garnish with fresh mint.
Classic Tom Cat Mint Julep
Ingredients
Fresh Mint
2-1/2 ounces Tom Cat Gin
1 ounce simple syrup
Fresh mint leaves for garnish
Directions
Muddle fresh mint and simple syrup in the bottom of julep tin, add crushed ice, then pour gin over top and stir. Garnish with fresh mint.
Georgia Mint Julep
Ingredients
2 ounces Hennessy V.S.O.P Privilège Cognac
0.25 ounce Apricot Brandy
0.25 ounce Heavy simple syrup (2:1)
8 tender mint sprigs (slim stems)
Mint sprig, sprinkled powdered sugar
Directions
Place 8 mint sprigs in the bottom of the julep cup, add the liquids, now fill half full with crushed ice, stir to combine and chill, top with more crushed ice to just above the rim of the glass. Garnish with a fresh mint sprig and a small dusting of powdered sugar on top.
French Julep
Instructions
2 ounces Hennessy V.S.O.P Privilège Cognac
1 ounces ginger/green tea syrup*
3/4 ounces fresh squeeze lemon juice
Pinch of mint
Mint sprig, Peychaud’s bitters
*Ginger/ Green Tea Syrup
4 cups chopped ginger root
4 green tea bags
3 cups water
3 cups sugar
Ginger/Green Tea Syrup
Add water and sugar into a medium sized pot on med – high heat. Once sugar is dissolved, add ginger (stir occasionally). As the simple base begins to turn color and ginger becomes soft, remove from heat add green tea bags and cover. When mixture cools strain through a tea strainer.
Cocktail instructions
Add all ingredients to a small tin, add ice; shake; strain. Garnish with 3-4 dashes of bitters and mint sprig.
Ryu Hayabusa
OBC Kitchen is a local favorite in Lexington, KY known for chef-driven dishes, an extremely rare bourbon collection and eclectic hand-crafted cocktails. Their Ryu Hayabusa turns the classic Old Fashioned into a Mint Julep, combining Maker’s Mark, honey syrup, cherry and orange bitters, and fresh mint.
Ingredients
2 ounces Maker’s 46
0.75 ounce Honey Syrup (1:1)
4 Dashes orange bitters
3 Dashes cherry bitters
8-10 mint leaves
Directions
Muddle mint leaves with bitters and honey syrup in mixing glass. Add Maker’s Mark 46 and ice and stir. Pour over crushed ice and garnish with orange rose, cherry, and mint.
Cheap Sunglasses
At Clever Rabbit in Chicago, the fruit-forward Cheap Sunglasses cocktail is perfect for outdoor Derby sipping (with or without cheap sunglasses!), and is crafted with Wheatley Vodka, Chareau Aloe, simple syrup, lemon and cantaloupe juice, and topped with cantaloupe and a mint sprig.
Ingredients
1-1/2 ounces Wheatley Vodka
0.5 ounce Chareau Aloe
0.5 ounce fresh lemon juice
0.5 ounce simple syrup
1 ounce cantaloupe juice
Directions
Shake all ingredients and strain into a Collins glass. Add ice, top with soda and garnish with 2 pieces of cantaloupe and 1 mint sprig.
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