The Maker’s Mark Mint Julep is a classic American cocktail, famously served each year as the signature drink at the Kentucky Derby.
The simple yet refreshing cocktail recipe features bourbon whiskey poured over crushed ice, muddled with fresh mint and sweetened with simple syrup.
The dainty drink is typically served in a chilled julep cup or rocks glass, offering the perfect balance of boozy bourbon, herbaceous mint and hint of sweetness!
Save this story to Pinterest!
What Is A Maker’s Mark Mint Julep?
The Mint Julep is a classic bourbon cocktail, which is famously served as the signature drink at the Kentucky Derby.
References to the cocktail go as far back as 900, when people sipped a version of the drink for medicinal purposes. The word julep originates in the Middle East from the Spanish Arabic term “julepe,” as well as the Persian word “golab”, which translates to rosewater. Both terms refer to sweetened syrups that helped mask the bitter taste of astringent medicines.
In the 1800s, the drink’s fame moved from the pharmacy to the bar, and then eventually to the racetrack. By the 18th century the Mint Julep was very popular in the southern United States. A recipe first appeared in print in 1803 in John Davis’ book “Travels of Four and a Half Years in the United States of America.” He noted that the Mint Julep is made of a “dram of spirituous liquor that has mint steeped in it, taken by Virginians of a morning.” An ice-cold boozy 8o proof whiskey drink is certainly one way to wake up to the world!
Since its inception, the Mint Julep has remained popular, but the julep itself is actually its own category of drink, which always features a spirit served over crushed or shaved ice. It comes in more iterations than just bourbon and mint. Culinary historians think it’s likely that the first juleps were actually made with cognac or peach brandy. After the tragic phylloxera epidemic of the mid-1800s, which decimated France’s vineyards and temporarily stalled the cognac trade, whiskey became the julep’s go-to spirit.
Traditionally, Mint Juleps were served in silver cups that are held by the handle or rim so the cup maintains optimum frostiness. The cocktail’s signature vessel is a miniature version of the silver cups won by jockeys at the Kentucky Derby.
If you’re looking to make the perfect Maker’s Mark Mint Julep you can prepare our quick & easy cocktail in the recipe card below, or purchase a bottle of Marker’s Mark Mint Julep Liqueur. The bottle is easy to find in the liquor store as the distillery has swapped its iconic red wax dipped bottle for a lime green neck.
This easy pre-made cocktail is ready to drink, a bourbon flavoured with mint and naturally sweetened. It’s the perfect sipper whether you’re at home cheering on your favourite Derby pony or when you need to quench your thirst on a hot day.
Best Bourbon For A Mint Julep
An American whiskey, bourbon is always made from sweet corn.
In fact, to be called bourbon whiskey, the spirit needs to be made from at least 51% corn, aged in a new oak barrel and produced in America. It has no minimum aging period and needs to be bottled at 80 proof or more.
Conduct a taste test with bottles of Canadian rye whiskey, Scotch, Irish Whiskey and Bourbon and you’ll find the latter has a sweeter finish thanks to the use of corn mash in the distillation process.
Popular Bourbon brands we love to use when making a Mint Julep include Ezra Brooks, Wild Turkey, Maker’s Mark, Evan Williams, Larceny, and Elijah Craig.
The simple 3 ingredient cocktail is traditionally served in a rocks glass or silver julep cup. Since bourbon is the only liquid in the drink, you’ll want to use a high-quality bottle like Maker’s Mark Bourbon Whiskey. A slightly higher-proof bourbon, in the mid-80s or around 90, helps keep the crushed ice from diluting the cocktail too quickly.
Maker’s Mark Bourbon clocks in at 45% alc/vol (90 proof) so it’s the perfect American whiskey to muddle into a Mint Julep.
Ingredients
This easy 3-ingredient cocktail recipe features Bourbon whiskey, fresh mint and simple syrup, which are poured over and muddled into an crushed ice-filled julep or rocks glass.
- Bourbon Whiskey: use a sweet high proof bourbon like Maker’s Mark.
- Mint Leaves: fresh mint leaves give the drink it’s signature herbaceous flavour.
- Simple Syrup: sweeten the cocktail to balance out the sharp booziness of the bourbon.
- Garnish: decorate the cup or glass with a fresh mint sprig.
Directions
This Mint Julep recipe is so easy to make at home, ready to serve in under 5 minutes!
- MUDDLE THE MINT: Muddle fresh mint leaves with simple syrup in the bottom of each glass. The intention is to release the essential oils, not tear the leaves to shreds.
- ADD MAKER’S MARK: Pour Kentucky bourbon into each glass then pack tightly with crushed ice.
- STIR: Once you build each drink, gently stir until the glass gets frosty. This should take at least 30 seconds.
- GARNISH & SERVE: Before garnishing with a mint sprig, gently clap it between your hands to release the aromatic oils.
Full recipe instructions are in the recipe card below.
Maker’s Mark Mint Julep Cocktail Recipe Tips
- We suggest serving this Mint Julep in a traditional silver julep cup or handsome rocks glass.
- While we like to use bourbon when making this julep you can substitute for Scotch, Irish Whiskey, or Canadian Rye.
- Feel free to add a few drops of your favourite bitters to give the drink additional depth of flavour.
- If you don’t have simple syrup on hand you can easily muddle a teaspoon of white sugar into the bourbon until it dissolves. We’ve also used ginger syrup and honey in a pinch and it tastes great too!
- Add a splash of soda water for a fizzy twist to make the drink less boozy and more refreshing.
- An hour or two before you’re planning on serving drinks we suggest placing the bourbon bottle in the freezer so it is well chilled.
- If you can’t find crushed ice at your grocery store you can make homemade crushed ice.
- As an alternative to muddling the mint and simple syrup, you can infuse simple syrup with mint, and skip right to pouring and stirring. Making mint simple syrup is a good way to preserve fresh mint too!
- To spruce up the drink try adding a slice of orange, maraschino cherries, or crystallized ginger as an additional garnish.
- In July and August we like to make Mint Julep frozen ice pops, perfect for a hot summer day.
Best Bartender Tools & Cocktail Equipment
Before hosting a swanky Maker’s Mark Mint Julep cocktail party you’ll need to ensure you have the best bartender tools and cocktail equipment.
- Cocktail Kit: cocktail kits are the perfect gift for newbie mixology fans as they include basic bartender tools like a jigger, shaker and spoon.
- Cocktail Shaker: a bartender’s best friend. Purchase a premium cocktail shaker to muddle or shake up your favourite pink gin cocktails.
- Cocktail Glassware: make sure your bar is stocked with a selection of unique glassware to show off your favourite cocktail creations.
- Hawthorne Strainer: this unique strainer features tightly wound coils and perforated holes. It keeps ice and other large ingredients like lime wedges in your cocktail shaker rather than in the glass.
- Bar Spoons: slender and long bar spoons are a must-have when stirring drinks.
- Bottle Opener: easily open bottles of beer or cider with the flick of your wrist or purchase a corkscrew for fine wine.
- Pouring Spout: once you’ve opened a new bottle of gin insert these affordable pourers to make cocktail assembly a breeze.
- Cutting Board: purchase a petite cutting board for your bar to slice garnishes or citrus wedges like lime, orange, lemon or grapefruit.
- Ice Bucket: chill bottles of gin quickly in an ice bucket or keep by the bar when muddling gin mixers into cool creations.
- Ice Crusher: fans of the Mint Julep love an ice crusher.
- Ice Cube Kit: we suggest purchasing a selection of ice cube trays. Silicone styles are our favourite as they’re easy to clean and are available in various shapes and sizes.
- Jigger: use a jigger to accurately measure spirits, juices, syrups and shrubs.
- Juicer: invest in an electronic juicer or buy an affordable hand-held to easily juice fresh citrus like lemons and limes.
- Muddler: fans of the Mojito love a sturdy muddler to mix mint and lime. Muddler’s are handy for any cocktail featuring ingredients that need a pounding like fresh herbs or citrus wedges.
- Citrus Peeler & Zester: adorn your craft cocktails with a thick citrus peel or finer ribbons of lime or lemon zest.
- Rimmer: Bloody Mary and Caesar lovers should outfit their bar with a handy rimmer for salting and sugaring glassware.
You May Also Enjoy These Whiskey Cocktail Recipes….
- Kentucky Bourbon Whiskey Margarita Cocktail
- Maple Bourbon Sour Whiskey Cocktail
- Classic Boston Sour Cocktail
- Bourbon Manhattan Cocktail
- Bourbon Blackberry Bramble Cocktail
- Apple Cider Bourbon Mule Cocktail
- Cranberry Whiskey Sour Cocktail
- Blackberry Bourbon Whiskey Smash Cocktail
- Bourbon Kentucky Mule Cocktail
- Brown Sugar Old Fashioned Cocktail
- Peach Whiskey Sour Cocktail
When To Serve A Maker’s Mark Mint Julep
This classy and refreshing cocktail can be enjoyed any time of year. Here are some of our favourite ways to serve the drink:
- Kentucky Derby viewing party
- Cocktail happy hour drink served with American classics like Pimento Cheese, Bacon Wrapped Jalapeno Poppers, and Prime Rib French Dip Sandwich.
- Sophisticated guys or girls night beverage
- Pre-drink at home before meeting friends at your local bar
- Summer dinner party cocktail served with dishes that compliment the herbaceous flavour like Flaó Ibizan Cheese Mint Tart, Saffron Tagliatelle Pasta with Ricotta and Mint and Summer Grilled Peach and Burrata Salad.
How To Make An Easy Maker’s Mark Mint Julep Recipe
Maker’s Mark Mint Julep
Equipment
- Jigger
- Julep cup or Rocks Glass
Ingredients
- 2 oz Maker's Mark Bourbon
- 8 Mint Leaves
- 0.5 oz Simple Syrup
- Mint Sprig garnish
Instructions
- In a julep cup or rocks glass, lightly muddle the mint leaves in the simple syrup.
- Add the Maker's Mark bourbon then pack the glass tightly with crushed ice.
- Stir until the cup is frosted on the outside.
- Top with more crushed ice to form an ice dome, and garnish with a mint sprig. Serve immediately.
Nutrition
Some of the links in this story use affiliate links. This means that if you make a purchase through our site, Dobbernationloves will earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Your support helps us to produce comprehensive content.
Save this story to Pinterest!
