This post may contain affiliate links which help support Girls Can Grill.

smoked mint julep on gray background with mint sprig

The mint julep is a tried-and-true Kentucky Derby cocktail. It’s one of those drinks that is sweet enough to make everyone fall in love with bourbon – even those who think they don’t like it. And that’s pretty amazing, considering the drink is mostly bourbon.

I recommend starting with quality bourbon because it will drink more smoothly. The good stuff usually runs $30-40 a bottle.

The second most important ingredient is mint simple syrup. At Girls Can Grill, we don’t just go with any simple syrup. Nope. It’s gotta be smoked simple syrup. I can’t even begin to describe how well the smokiness goes with the bourbon.

Lastly, serve it cold cold cold! To achieve this, fill a julep cup with crushed ice. Once you add the bourbon, smoked mint simple syrup and a splash of water, add more ice. It’s almost like drinking a minty bourbon slush.

Smoked Jalapeno Margarita

Smoked Cosmopolitan

Smoked Mojito

Smoked Tom Collins

Kentucky Hot Brown Sliders

5 from 1 vote

Smoked Mint Julep

Make every day as fun as Derby Day with good bourbon and a smoked mint julep.
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes
Servings: 1

Ingredients 

Garnish

  • mint sprig

Instructions 

  • Make a batch of smoked simple syrup and steep in a mason jar with mint leaves.
  • Fill a glass with crushed ice. Add the mint simple syrup, bourbon and splash of water. Top with more ice. Garnish with a mint sprig.

Nutrition

Calories: 384kcalCarbohydrates: 29gSodium: 24mgSugar: 29gIron: 1.4mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Course: Drinks
Cuisine: American
Did you try this recipe?Be sure to rate it, leave a comment and save it so you can make it again. Show off your awesome results on social by tagging @girlscangrill

You May Also Like

christie vanover standing against wood wall.

Hey BBQ Family

I’m Christie, the head cook and award-winning competitive pitmaster for Team Girls Can Grill. I have won multiple grand championships and top 10 category finishes. I’m an expert grill reviewer for BBQ Guys, and I have appeared on the Food Network and Ninja Woodfire Grill infomercials. I established this website in 2015 to share my BBQ tips and recipes.

Leave a comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating