The popularity of the new bourbon-based mint julep gained the favor of the state's senator, Henry Clay, who later introduced the drink at a bar in Washington, D.C., in 1850. By the early 1800s, bourbon had supplanted rum and brandy among the state's julep crowd. This, along with the state's limestone water, helped give birth to Kentucky bourbon. Kentucky, for example, was among the states where corn grew abundantly. At this time, the drink often featured fruit and was commonly taken during breakfast.Īs the 1700s progressed and Americans won their independence, they found themselves with an abundance of corn and rye that would soon fuel a budding distilling industry. The julep was then a high-society drink enjoyed in silver stemware, typically made with brandy or rum, as the wealthy were the only ones with regular access to ice. By then, American settlers in Virginia had established the practice of combining spirits with sweetened water and mint to produce a more pleasant-tasting beverage. The drink's primary application was medicinal into the 1700s. Samuel Johnson defined a "julap" in his Dictionary of the English Language, describing it as an "extemporaneous form of medicine made of simple and compound water sweetened."
The poet John Milton described a "cordial julep" as "spirits of balm and fragrant syrups mixed." In the following century, Dr. In the Mediterranean region, mint became more commonly used than rose petals due to the herb's abundance.īy the 1600s, the term "julep" had entered Middle English via Old French, where it made its mark on the language and literature of the time. As a medicine, it entered other cultures and evolved into different terms - "julab" in classical Arabic and "julapium" in Latin. Come the ninth century, this rosewater concoction had become a remedy for respiratory and stomach ailments. The mint julep has roots in ancient Persia, where, from the third to the seventh centuries, one might have heard of "gulāb," a kind of royal rosewater bath. The sugar accentuates the natural syrupy quality of the whiskey, and the freshness of the mint on the palate enhances the cooling effect of the chilled cocktail. Traditionally served in a silver cup, the drink is only mildly sweet. Whiskey is the spirit base, and it's flavored with mint and sugar and diluted with water, often only in the form of ice. Like many classics, it consists of only a few ingredients. Often associated with the Kentucky Derby, the mint julep is one of the great classic cocktails and a common hot-weather favorite. These characteristics may be why the mint julep is among the traditional cocktails that remain popular today. The frosty, perspiring cup with its mound of ice and sprig of mint peeking over the brim represents pure refreshment and well-executed simplicity. HISTORY OF THE MINT JULEP When the weather turns warm, you can expect to see more mint juleps in the hands of home mixologists and bar patrons.
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