5 Variations on the Mint Julep for Derby Day

You can’t watch the Kentucky Derby without a Mint Julep in hand. This classic cocktail—mint leaves muddled with sweetener, topped with bourbon and crushed ice—is not only a nod to Southern hospitality and Kentucky's ties to bourbon. It's also a prime example of how simple builds can be as delicious as intricate cocktail recipes.

So why mess with a good thing? Because starting with an effortless base makes creating riffs less intimidating, and guests at your watch party will love drinking something new yet familiar. Give one of these refreshing cocktails a try, and you may find your new go-to Derby drink.

Post Time

Created by Susan Mintzer, head bartender, Black Walnut Inn and Vineyard, Dundee, Oregon

Combine a Mint Julep with another classic Derby drink—sweet tea—and you have the Post Time. “It’s slightly sweet and herbaceous from the tea syrup yet still bold and boozy,” Mintzer says.

• 1 bouquet mint
• 2 oz. Minden Mill Nevada (or other bourbon under 100 proof)
• 1/2 oz. sweet tea demerara syrup (recipe below)
• Lemon twist

Smack mint and rub along the inside of a vintage punch glass to release oils. Set mint aside for garnish. Add bourbon, syrup, and small ice cubes to fill the glass. Stir until well mixed and chilled, about 30 seconds. Top with fresh ice. Express lemon twist over top, then discard. Smack mint again to release oils and aroma, and place on top of cocktail.

Sweet Tea Demerara Syrup

• 1 1/4 cups hot water
• 4 black tea bags
• 2 cups demerara or turbinado sugar
• 1 small pinch salt

Combine water and tea bags in a saucepan. Steep 5 minutes, then remove tea bags. Return to stove over low heat for about 3 to 7 minutes, until it reaches a simmer. Remove from heat, add sugar and salt, and stir until dissolved, about 2 minutes. Let cool, then transfer to an airtight container. Keep refrigerated for up to 2 weeks.

Emerald Garden

Created by Sarah Rueda, food & beverage manager, MacArthur Place Hotel & Spa, Sonoma, California

This Julep feels like a living garden, Rueda says. “Bright, layered, and refreshing, the green apple and citrus bring a crisp snap, the ginger adds gentle warmth, and the mint keeps everything lifted and cool. It drinks fresh, with just enough complexity to keep you coming back.”

• 8–10 fresh mint leaves
• 1/2 oz. green apple-honey syrup (recipe below)
• 1/4 oz. fresh lemon juice
• 1/4 oz. lime juice
• 2 dashes Angostura bitters
• 2 oz. Two Stacks Single Malt Double Barrel (or other Irish single malt)
• 2-3 oz. ginger beer
• Mint bouquet and thinly sliced green apple fan for garnish
  
  

Gently muddle mint in a Julep cup. Add syrup, lemon juice, lime juice, and bitters, then pour in whiskey. Fill cup halfway with crushed ice and stir briefly. Pack tightly with more crushed ice, forming a dome. Top with ginger beer and give a short lift stir to integrate. Garnish with mint and sliced apple.

Green Apple-Honey Syrup

• 1/2 cup honey
• 1/2 cup warm water
• 1 green apple, thinly sliced

Add honey and water to a nonreactive bowl, and stir until fully dissolved, about 2 to 3 minutes. Let cool completely, then add apple. Cover and refrigerate for 12 to 24 hours. Fine strain into an airtight container without pressing the apple to keep it clear. Keep refrigerated for 5 to 7 days.

The Velvet Julep

Created by Samantha Fowler, bartender, Auld Alliance at Cloudland at McLemore Resort, Rising Fawn, Georgia

Sherry gives this Julep its signature velvety texture. “I pulled inspiration from the Scottish Highlands and how Derby Day would be celebrated there—with a rounded, sophisticated scotch cocktail,” Fowler says.

• 2 oz. The Balvenie Caribbean Cask 14 year old (or other Speyside scotch)
• 1/2 oz. Lustau Pedro Ximénez San Emilio sherry
• 1/3 oz. basil syrup (recipe below)
• Fresh basil leaves for garnish

Pack a rocks glass with crushed ice. Add all ingredients to a beaker with ice. Stir for 10 revolutions, then strain into prepared glass. Garnish with basil.

Basil Syrup

• 6 basil leaves
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup hot water

Combine basil and sugar in a nonreactive bowl and let sit overnight. The next day, add water and stir until sugar is dissolved, about 1 minute. Strain into an airtight container. Keep refrigerated for up to 2 weeks.

The Forbidden Julep

Created by Nic Wallace, resort bars and spirits manager, Sea Island, Georgia

Originally created for Sea Island’s annual Derby Party, this cocktail “truly captures the South at its best during the month of May,” Wallace says. “Bright citrus, honey, and peaches dominate the culinary scene this time of year, and each ingredient in the cocktail highlights these amazing local flavors.”

• 10-12 mint leaves
• 1/2 oz. orange-honey oleo saccharum (recipe below)
• 1 3/4 oz. Forbidden Small Batch (or other wheated bourbon)
• 1/2 oz. Blended Family peach liqueur
• 1 dash Angostura bitters
• Large mint bouquet and powdered sugar for garnish

Gently muddle mint leaves and oleo saccharum in a Julep cup. Add remaining ingredients, fill cup 2/3 with crushed ice, and stir 8 to 10 seconds to chill. Top with more crushed ice to fill cup, plus extra to form a dome. Garnish with mint bouquet dusted with powdered sugar.

Orange-Honey Oleo Saccharum

• peel of 1 orange
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 4 oz. honey
• 2 oz. water

Place orange peels in a quart container, then add sugar. Seal container and shake to thoroughly combine ingredients. Allow mixture to rest overnight so sugar draws oils from the peels. Heat water and honey in a saucepan over medium-low heat until just below boiling, mixing together for about 1 minute to thoroughly combine. Add orange peel and sugar mixture, and stir gently to combine and dissolve sugar, about 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat and strain into an airtight container. Cool to room temperature. Store refrigerated up to 2 weeks.

Golden Hour Julep

Created by Fredy Rojas, bartender, The Falls, Falls Church, Virginia

“Tea adds a subtle tannic backbone, while apricot enhances the natural fruit notes in the rye, creating a drink that feels both classic and quietly modern—something built for warm evenings on a porch, easy to drink but still structured enough to hold your attention,” Rojas says.

• 6–8 fresh mint leaves
• 1/2 oz. apricot syrup (recipe below)
• 1 oz. English breakfast or Earl Grey black tea, chilled
• 2 oz. Michter's (or other rye)
• Mint bouquet and thin slice fresh apricot for garnish

In a julep tin or double old-fashioned glass, gently muddle mint leaves and apricot syrup. Add tea and whiskey. Fill glass halfway with crushed ice and stir briefly, about 8 to 10 seconds. Pack tightly with more crushed ice, forming a dome. Garnish with mint bouquet and apricot slice.

Apricot Syrup

• 1 cup chopped dried apricots
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup water

Add all ingredients to a saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook 10 minutes, lightly mashing the fruit. Remove from heat and let steep 15 minutes. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve, pressing lightly on solids. Cool completely before use. Keep refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.

Easy Keeper

Created by Zack Atzert, head bartender, The Fountain Inn, Washington, D.C.

“Easy keeper is an equine term for an animal that only requires a little feed to maintain itself. Like this cocktail, a little goes a long way,” Atzert says. “This is a quietly confident Japanese version of an American classic.”

• 6-8 shiso leaves
• 1/2 oz. Peach Kanade
• 2 oz. Hibiki Harmony (or other Japanese blend)
• 2 dashes cardamom bitters
• Shiso sprig for garnish

In a Julep cup, muddle shiso leaves. Add Peach Kanade, whisky, bitters, and crushed ice until cup is packed fully. Stir until outside of the cup becomes frosty, about 30 seconds. Insert straw and shiso sprig.