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.

Ingredients

  • 1 ½ ounces Four Roses bourbon
  • ½ ounce Plantation dark rum
  • ½ ounce Jacoulot Crème de Peche de Vigne 
  • ½ ounce mint-infused simple syrup
  • 2 dashes Angostura bitters
  • 2 dashes Regans orange bitters
  • 4 drops rose water 
  • Cava top
  • Mint sprigs and rose petals for garnish (optional)

Directions

  1. Combine all ingredients except Cava in a Julep cup with crushed ice.
  2. Stir with a swizzle.
  3. Top with Cava and add garnishes, if using.

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Yield: 1
Updated: 2018-05-15

The Sparkling Rose Julep Recipe

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