Spotlight Shots: The Mint Julep
“Open the whisky, Tom,’ she ordered, ‘and I’ll make you a mint julep. Then you won’t seem so stupid to yourself… Look at the mint!”
F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby
words by Will Halbert
Rare are the occasions, situations, calamities and catastrophes that can’t be improved upon by the simple addition of a little whisky. This is especially true in the context of summer drinking.
Now, I know what you’re thinking: for all its smoke and fire, whisky doesn’t exactly lend itself to warm weather imbibing like, say, the Mojito or the Aperol Spritz. This is a forgivable misunderstanding, but a misunderstanding nonetheless. Not to worry though, the humble Mint Julep is here to set things straight. It goes a little something like this:
2.5 ounces of bourbon
0.5 ounce of simple syrup (and even split of water and sugar)
10 mint leaves
Garnish with a bouquet of fresh mint
It’s a drink so fussy that it requires its own, specially made tulip tin. But don’t let that put you off, it’s more than worth the extra effort. In a julep tin (or rocks glass if you can’t source a tin), gently muddle the mint leaves together with simple syrup to release those essential oils. Then pack the glass tightly with crushed ice. Pour bourbon over said ice, and mound yet more lovely ice – snow cone style – into the top of the glass. Garnish with a few sprigs of spanked (yes, spanked) mint. Sip liberally, and attempt your most convincing East Egg, old money accent.
Feeling extra fancy? Throw in a little champagne in the mix for a touch of summer decadence that Gatsby himself would approve of, old sport.
The oil of conversation, the philosophic wine or just good old liquid sunshine, whatever you choose to call it, there’s no better mediator of moods than good ol’ whisky.
Whisky will play you a symphony in a cocktail, it’ll hum you a fine tune on it’s own.
It does a pretty stellar duet with just a block of ice or a splash of water, too. Bold, refined and effortlessly elegant, it’s no surprise that whisky was Sinatra’s most trusted stage-partner for over fifty years. From the rich smoke of an islay to the peppery bite of a rye, a good whisky will finish strong no matter how you take it – or how you spell it.
