Looking for a refreshing way to enjoy your bourbon? This Maker’s Mark Mint Julep is crisp, fresh, and delicious. There’s something to be said about the classics, and Mint Juleps are one of those staples that rely on simple ingredients that go a long way.
Plus, this simple, 3-ingredient cocktail comes together quickly and requires very little effort, making it as easy to whip up as it is to sip down!
As an environmental scientist, I am always looking to support brands that make efforts to operate sustainably. Maker’s Mark is my go-to bourbon because of its water- and energy-conserving measures, and eco-centric ethos.
Green tip: Consider buying your alcohol in glass bottles to avoid extra plastic packaging, and always recycle your whiskey bottles!
Mint Julep with Maker’s Mark Ingredients
Here’s everything you need:
- Mint. Fresh spearmint works best.
- Bourbon. For the most classic mint julep, use Kentucky Straight Bourbon. I use Maker’s Mark.
- Simple syrup. You can buy it from the store or make your own. More on that later.
- Crushed ice. The smaller crushed ice melts quicker, mellowing your drink for the most refreshing sip.
Maker’s Mark Mint Julep Tips and Tricks
Use Fresh Spearmint
To get that fresh minty flavor, it’s best to use fresh spearmint leaves to muddle into your simple syrup. You can opt for fresh peppermint leaves as well, just know that peppermint is a little bit stronger, so you may want to use a little less.
We are going for crisp and fresh, and peppermint can sometimes take you into that toothpaste-tasting zone.
Add the mint to the bottom of your Barfly Julep Cup first.
Green tip: Growing your own herbs is a delicious way to reduce your environmental footprint. Homegrown herbs have zero associated food miles, no pesky plastic packaging, and are free of damaging fertilizers and chemicals. Plus, they are just so fresh and flavorful.
How to Make Your Own Simple Syrup
If you don’t have simple syrup at home, you can make your own with sugar and water. You can use brown sugar, granulated sugar, or even coconut sugar.
This recipe works with all three! Brown sugar simple syrup will play up the vanilla notes in the Maker’s Mark.
To make a simple syrup, just add equal parts sugar and water to a small pot over high heat and whisk until the sugar is dissolved. Next, transfer it to a heat-safe glass and allow it to cool before using it for your mint julep.
Green tip: Making your own sauces and syrups is a great way to avoid extra plastic packaging that eventually ends up in landfills or makes its way into the environment and becomes microplastics.
Add the simple syrup to the cup with the fresh mint next.
Why Muddling is So Important for Fresh Cocktails
Muddling fresh herbs, fruit, citrus, or other ingredients helps to extract their oils and infuse their bold flavor into the cocktail.
For this mint julep, we muddle the mint in the simple syrup to infuse the syrup with minty freshness. This allows the flavor to more readily combine into your drink.
Choose Your Bourbon Wisely
I recommend Maker’s Mark for this Mint Julep because of its smooth taste, swimming with notes of vanilla and oak. You can absolutely substitute another bourbon—choose your favorite!
The bourbon is the star here so you want to use a high quality one if possible.
Use Crushed Ice for a Classic Mint Julep
A classic mint julep uses crushed ice, and for good reason. This cocktail is meant to be ultra refreshing and easy to sip.
Crushed ice has a smaller surface area and melts more quickly and readily. This mellows the otherwise strong drink!
Why You Should Make this Maker’s Mark Mint Julep
- It’s refreshing. That fresh mint inside the drink and used as a garnish gives this drink a refreshing finish.
- It’s classic. If you haven’t tried a mint julep yet, now is the time!
- It’s simple. Just 3 simple, yet effective ingredients.
If you are loving this Maker’s Mark Mint Julep and need more cocktail inspiration, check out this Ginger Beer Mojito and Aperol Old Fashioned.
Maker’s Mark Mint Julep
Equipment
- Cocktail Muddler (optional)
- Barfly Julep Cup (optional)
Ingredients
- 5 fresh mint leaves (+ more for garnish)
- 1 ounce simple syrup (1 fluid oz = 2 tbsp)
- 2 ounces Maker’s Mark
- ½ cup crushed ice
Instructions
- Add simple syrup and fresh mint leaves to a barfly julep cup and use a muddler or wooden spoon to muddle the mint in the syrup to extract flavor from the mint.
- Top the syrup and mint with crushed ice, filling the cup to the top.
- Pour Maker's Mark over top, stir, garnish with more fresh mint, and enjoy!
Pro Tips
- You can make your own simple syrup at home by adding equal parts sugar and water to a small pot over high heat and whisking until sugar is dissolved. Allow it to cool before using it for your mint julep.
- You can use any ice, but whiskey ice melts slower, reducing the chance of your cocktail getting watered down.
- Still thirsty? Check out the collection of my best cocktail recipes!
2 thoughts on “Maker’s Mark Mint Julep”
Made this for my husband and I tonight and we absolutely LOVED it! I used coconut sugar in my simple syrup because that’s all I had but it worked incredibly!
Kim!!! That makes me so happy! Cheers to you and your hubby!