Love me some Juleps…
It´s julep time and i`m not going to pass the opportunity to post a mint julep on Derby Day! few things are bettter than sipping slowly on a cold mint julep..especially if i s a hot day.
Since i did post a classical julep last year i`m gonna mix up a variation this year using my favorite chocolate spirit Mozart Dry which i can just feel will be very tasty in a julep. I`m into a chocolate craze for the moment and cannot have enough of Mozart Dry and chocolate mint combined.
I did a chocolate Mai Tai a while ago and now i s a chocolate Julep, not sure what comes next if anything but that will show.
This isn´t going to be a long post since i wrote about the history of the julep and the original recipe etc before and you can read it here and besides there´s tons of info out there about the mint julep and the Kentucky derby day which takes place every first saturday in may.
What interest me the most since i`ve never been to any derby and i`ve never been into horse racing either is of course the julep! that is something i can relate to – and i think its a very fine tradition.
CHOCOLATE JULEP
2.5 oz Bourbon (Using Maker´s Mark)
0.5 oz sugar syrup
0.25 oz Mozart Dry Chocolate Spirit
Plenty of mint leaves, or a handful – i used chocolate mint to pair with the chocolate flavor in this julep.
Lightly muddle mint and sugar syrup together in a julep cup, don´t muddle too hard since that will bring out bitterness from the leaves. When done muddling add Bourbon. Add shaved or crushed ice and stir drink gently until a frost forms on the outside of the cup. Ah…this is lovely!
Then top off with crushed ice and garnish with a sprig of mint.
As usual Mozart Dry doesn´t disappoint, it adds a subtle hint of very fine chocolate which in no way overpowers the drink, instead it blends well with sugarcane syrup and bourbon and stays in the bacground, it`s simply awesome.
I`m not sure i can stick with just one here. This is a wonderful way to start a saturday! of course i had to make me another later on but that one i made in a glass since i also like the color of the spirit, syrup and ice in a julep, it looks so tasty.
Also i added 0.25 oz of Navan vanilla liqueur to go with the chocolate and took down the sugarcane syrup from 0.5 to 0.25 oz. So 0.25 oz each of sugarcane syrup, Mozart Dry chocolate spirit and Navan.
Chocolate and Vanilla Julep
Not a big difference, the vanilla added some very slight softening notes to the chocolate and as chocolate and vanilla goes hand in hand it was good. Now the Mozart Dry actually does contain some vanilla as well but the result of adding a little Navan didn´t make it overpowering in any way.
I have no doubt that that is because the Mozart Dry is a very high quality chocolate spirit that is dry and crisp with a very fine chocolate flavor which makes me think about very dark chocolate – and it´s not so sweet and also Navan is a very fine liqueur made with natural vanilla beans from Madagascar.
Then also there wasn`t much added – only 0.25 oz of each. Overall the chocolate and vanilla flavors in these two mint juleps were subtle and didn´t change the “julep flavor” which is what i wanted.
‎”Sip it and say there is no solace for the soul, no tonic for the body like old Bourbon whiskey”
The whole recitation that is a part of the very special way the Mint julep is made by Chris Mac Millan can be read and seen on video here.
Now sit back, sip slowly and relax..
