Brandy, Classics, Spring

Traditional Mint Julep

Written by Monica C
May 3, 2019

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If you don’t love a Julep, then my guess is, you’ve probably never had the real deal. The thing is, this classic cocktail is very simple in terms of ingredients, but it is all about the techniques and you can’t skip on the bouquet of mint. There’s a ton of history when it comes to the Mint Julep, and I’m here to share on this Derby Weekend.

For the longest time, the word Julep traditionally referred to medicine. This goes all the way back to the 900’s (that’s right, YEAR 900), fifteenth-century latin translations and 1600’s. While in the 1700’s we see a shift. It is understood that a Julep could also refer to as the drink we know today. So whether or not these guys were just having a good time with booze and referencing the Julep to ease their ailment, well we will never really know. What we do know is that this is technically the first recorded cocktail in American history, which is why it is so boldly referenced that the Mint Julep is the TRUE American Cocktail.

What we also know is that the base was somewhat flexible back then, changing between Gin, Rum and Cognac, but by 1775, it was clear that Brandy/Cognac was the true spirit of the Julep.

This is why you won’t see a bourbon or whiskey like you typically find in a Julep here today, and I’m very okay with that. I’ve grown to love and appreciate Brandy and Cognacs in cocktails for its irreplaceable depth and character. Now obviously you can splurge and go all out when a Brandy or Cognac is involved, but that’s why I love the H by Hine so much. They made H by Hine as an approachable Cognac for cocktails! Did you know that Hine Cognac is the official Cognac for THE QUEEN?! That’s right. Royalty approved of this cognac. So if the Queen is down for this, I’m down for it. Not that I didn’t love it in the first place. I’ve long had an appreciation for this brandy before I knew this fun little fact. But it’s nice knowing that the Queen and I have similar taste.

So today, I’m not doing anything special, but giving you the traditional classic as per Jerry Thomas in its original, historic glory! Cheers to the Derby Weekend!