I know that a mint julep has nothing to do with Christmas, but I love serving a drink like this, with all of the crushed ice and herbs, right before or during a big holiday meal. This drink winds up being boozy but also refreshing and fun. We always had wine when I was growing up and I love that about the holidays but a signature cocktail that departs from the norm is a great way to shake things up.
| Level: | Easy |
| Total: | 1 hr 25 min |
| Active: | 25 min |
| Yield: | 8 servings |
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 5 tea bags Earl Grey
- 1/2 cup chopped fresh mint
- 6 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 2 sprigs basil, stemmed
- 2 sprigs mint, stemmed
- 2 to 3 limes, halved
- 20 ounces bourbon
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan, bring 4 cups water to a boil. Stir in the sugar and cook for about 5 minutes. Add the tea bags and mint, then remove from the heat and steep for 10 minutes. Strain the mixture and discard the tea bags and mint. Cool for about 1 hour, and then stir in the lemon juice.
- Fill 8 smallish glasses (or classic julep cups) with crushed ice and muddle in a few leaves basil and mint in each glass, bruising the herbs and mixing them with the ice. Add a squeeze from the limes to each glass, then pour about 3 1/2 ounces of the cooled syrup and about 2 1/2 ounces of the bourbon per glass. Add a straw and enjoy.
Nutrition Facts
| Serving Size | 1 of 8 servings |
| Calories | 222 |
| Total Fat | 0 g |
| Saturated Fat | 0 g |
| Carbohydrates | 12 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 1 g |
| Sugar | 9 g |
| Protein | 0 g |
| Cholesterol | 0 mg |
| Sodium | 3 mg |