mint julep

The other day we told you about Woodford Reserve's limited edition bottle for the Kentucky Derby. Now Woodford, the official bourbon of the famed race, which takes place on May 2, is offering the world's most exclusive mint julep for $1,000. It's made with sugar cane cut and crushed by hand from Sainte Marie in the Reunion Island of France; Turkish mint grown near the Euphrates River; ice made of water from an aquifer in the wilderness of Central Norway; and a small batch of the Master Distiller's personal selection of Woodford Reserve super-premium bourbon. Of course for $1,000 you get to the keep the cup. Made of sterling silver plated in 24-karat gold, it's adorned with jockey silks representing the Woodford Reserve Stables. The cups are made by New England Sterling, the official trophy maker of the Kentucky Derby.

Each comes with a sterling silver straw and an oak box crafted from the same wood as Woodford Reserve bourbon barrels, lined in black satin. There are 96 of the cups available for purchase from April 13 - 29 via their website; you have to pick them up (along with the julep) in person at Churchill Downs on Derby Day. Additionally, there are three extra-special Legends Cups which also feature three diamonds – one for each leg of the Triple Crown – and each one is in honor of a different living Triple Crown-winning jockey. You can bid on your favorite jockey from those offered in the Legends Cups, and the cup has his signature engraved on it. Bidding for the Legends Cups starts at $1,000. Proceeds from the cups will benefit The Permanently Disabled Jockeys Fund and The Robby Albarado Foundation.

[via JustLuxe]

In celebration of Big Brown's seemingly inevitable Triple Crown victory at tomorrow's Belmont Stakes, our favorite small batch bourbon Woodford Reserve has created a special cocktail. The "Big Brown Triple Crown" recipe is as follows:

1 1/2 ounces Woodford Reserve
3 ounces Sweet and Sour Mix
3 dashes Chambord (1/4 ounce)

Shake vigorously and strain into a tall glass with ice. Garnish with 3 blackberries (one for each crown, natch).

The Woodford Reserve Distillery in Versailles, Kentucky, founded in 1812, is a National Historic Landmark with strong ties to horseracing. It was selected as the Official Bourbon of the Kentucky Derby, and as we can personally attest, it also makes a mean mint julep. Check out the BBTC cocktail and more in the gallery.

A while back we told you about Stirrings, the all-natural drink mixers from Massachusetts. Now we're going to introduce you to our other secret weapon when it comes to making summer cocktails (and it usually does): gourmet Sonoma Syrups. When we tell you that we willingly pay extra to have this stuff shipped clear across the country you'll realize this isn't just a bunch of sugar water. Based in California wine country, Sonoma makes handcrafted, small-batch, natural syrups and extracts that really make certain drinks sing.

We wouldn't think of making a margarita or mint julep with anything else, for one thing, and if you want to get really creative with something like a pomegranate martini, their infusions are indispensable. We use their classic simple syrup, made from pure cane sugar, filtered water and a hint of vanilla, in place of the chemical-laden bar sugar that many drink recipes call for. It dissolves better, tastes better and complements top-shelf spirits. We're also told that Sonoma's syrups have lots of non-alcoholic applications, but we'll just take their word on that one.

The Kentucky Derby just got a bit fancier. A $1,000 mint julep will be offered at this year's race at Churchill Downs on May 6. The $1,000 cocktail will be made of Woodford Reserve bourbon, mint from Morroco, ice from the Arctic Circle and sugar from the South Pacific and will be served in a gold-plated cup with a silver straw. The drink will go to the first  50 people willing to pay and the proceeds will raise money for Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation which provides homes for former race horses. If there was ever a place to sell such a drink, this would be it. The company usually sells about 90,000 mint juleps during the event.