The Story Behind The Sparkling Rose Julep
There are a lot of ways to make a Julep.
The Kentucky Derby favorite reportedly made its first written appearance in "Travels of Four Years and a Half in the United States," an 1803 page-turner dedicated to then-president Thomas Jefferson. The drink became associated with the races in 1938, when it was sold in commemorative glassware at Churchill Downs on Derby Day.
A classic Mint Julep has a simple formula — whiskey, sugar, mint, muddle — making it suitable for riffing with different spirits and mixers. This version pairs Four Roses bourbon with dark rum, two types of bitters, rose water, and liqueur. A bubbly Cava float makes it particularly festive.
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