Mandarin Mint Julep

BY LOCAL MIXOLOGISTS BERNARD GLAUDE and BESS MUCKE

Combine the last of the season’s sweet honey murcott mandarins with spring’s first soft mint sprigs to make this refreshing take on a classic Mint Julep. Take care to bruise the mint leaves rather than crush them, to avoid bitterness. 

Hailing from America’s South, the Mint Julep is traditionally served in an ice-cold pewter cup - or use your favourite short tumbler glass.

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1 honey murcott mandarin (quartered, juice and flesh squeezed directly into your glass)

Juice of half a small lemon

45ml bourbon or your favourite whiskey

8 mint leaves 

1tbsp sugar 

Cracked ice 

1 mint sprig

Place the mint leaves, lemon juice, mandarin and sugar in a pre-chilled Julep cup or glass and gently muddle to release the flavour and dissolve the sugar.*

Fill the glass with finely cracked ice (use your blender if has an ‘ice’ setting or smash the ice in a clean tea-towel). 

Pour the bourbon over the ice and stir briskly.

Top up with ice and garnish with a fresh mint sprig. 

*If you don’t have a muddler, just pop everything into a shaker with ice and give it a good shake for 10 seconds.