Sunset Cocktail: Mint Julep
5 or 6 leaves of Mint
1/2 oz. Simple Syrup
3 oz. Trader Joe’s Kentucky Bourbon Straight Whiskey
2 dashes Hella Bitters Lemon Ginger Bitters
Lightly muddle the mint and syrup in a chilled Julep cup.
Fill the cup with crushed ice.
Add the bourbon and stir until the cup is frosted on the outside.
Pack tightly with more crushed ice to form an ice dome and garnish with a few drops of bitters and a mint sprig.
So today hit over 70 here in New England and I couldn’t think of a dink I’d want more on such a nice day than a Mint Julep. After hearing about Trader Joe’s line of spirits I decided to take advantage of not only my new hours, but the location of the new job which has a Trader Joe’s right in the path of my drive home.
Once I was there I picked up some mint leaves, their Kentucky Straight Bourbon and a bottle of their Single Malt Irish Whiskey. They also had a full line of different styles of Scotch Whiskies and some variations of Rums and probably Vodkas. I figured I’d pay more attention should these be ok.
The first I tried was the Irish Whiskey which was actually very nice, especially for a bottle that costs less than $25. It may not be quite up to Redbreast, but it was a really quality sip. The Bourbon wasn’t bad at all either, again, not quite Larceny or Angel’s Envy but for $15 it blows Beam away and makes for a lovely ingredient in a cocktail as it is completely inoffensive.
