Sip on this smooth, ice-filled Irish Whiskey Honey Mint Julep made with local wildflower honey, Irish whiskey and fresh mint. From St. Patrick’s Day to the Kentucky Derby, it’s a sweet toast to springtime.
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Where has Irish whiskey been all my life?
Bourbon, duh.
American whiskey, yes.
Rye, yes.
Scotch, a little.
But Irish whiskey? I honestly have no idea why I’ve been ignoring it. I recently picked up a bottle of Jameson — per my friend Meghan’s recommendation — and I’m in love.
Chris insisted that I make us St. Patrick’s Day drinks with it the other night, and I landed on these Irish Whiskey Honey Mint Juleps.
We tried the best mint juleps at a cocktail workshop in Richmond with my favorite beverage writer David Wondrich. He’s a total beverage genius, and I’ve waited way too long to try to recreate the drinks we tried in his class.
One thing that I don’t think either of us will forget is the way he talked about crushing ice. He told us to place it in a canvas Lewis bag and smash it with a wooden mallet — like your boss’s Rolex is inside. We’ve been laughing about that one ever since!
I used my blender for crushing my ice though, which is totally acceptable if you don’t have a canvas bag and hammer handy!
While the ice is important because of the way it coats your glass in frost, the glass is ultra key too. You can go for the classic silver julep cups or stick to a pretty rocks glass if you prefer!
So once you’ve got your glass packed tightly with crushed ice, it’s time to mix that drink. In a cocktail shaker, I muddled together honey and fresh mint leaves, then topped it with Irish whiskey.
The result is a fresh, icy cold drink that’s perfect for any spring or summer day. It’s smooth and buttery, with just a hint of mint.
The honey gives it a subtle floral note that simple syrup (what mint juleps usually require) just doesn’t offer.
Whether you’re celebrating St. Patrick’s Day or the Kentucky Derby, this is a spin on the julep that you just can’t miss. (I also highly recommend the Basil Julep, the Strawberry Mint Julep and the Blackberry Mint Julep!)
Make it and you’ll be so glad I finally added Irish whiskey to my repertoire! (Just don’t smash any Rolexes in the process.) Cheers! // susannah
Pin this Irish Whiskey Honey Mint Julep!
Irish Whiskey Mint Julep
ingredients
- 2 large mint sprigs plus more for garnish
- ½ ounce wildflower honey
- 5 ounces Irish whiskey
- crushed ice
instructions
- In a cocktail shaker, muddle mint and honey together to release the mint oils. Top with the whiskey and stir until honey dissolves completely. Add ice and lid. Shake briefly.
- Pack two julep cups or rocks glasses with crushed ice. Top with mint julep mixture, then more crushed ice. Garnish each glass with a mint sprig.
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Meghan @ Cake 'n Knife says
Woo hoo! I’m so glad you jumped on the Jameson bandwagon and loved it!! This julep looks like just the refreshing cocktail I need right now in this warm Denver weather. Now to wait til a decent hour to enjoy one… tick. tock. tick. tock.
finn says
Hey! I’m at work surfing around your blog! Just wanted to say I love reading your blog and look forward to all your posts! Keep up the fantastic work!
Alyssa says
This just might be the best mint julep recipe I’ve seen yet! I suppose I’ll have to try it before I actually render a verdict, though 😉
Susannah says
Thank you so much, Alyssa! I think so, too!
Mark Fitzgerald says
If you like bourbon as much as I do (my desired preference is Woodford Reserve) you ought to seek out Tullamore D.E.W. Irish Whiskey because it is not as bitter as Jameson’s but it has a smoother finish on your palette, much like Woodford Reserve bourbon!
Mark Fitzgerald says
I swear to God that this is the first time I have seen your blog but while preparing for the AOH/LAOH St. Patrick’s Day Parade, that is always held on the first Saturday before March 17th here in Louisville, KY, I was talking with the owner of Molly Malone’s Pub on how he could capture how Louisvillians love drinking a mint julep with his love of Tullamore D.E.W. Irish Whiskey, and we came up with the idea of creating an Irish Julep. My recipe was to simply follow the ingredients of a typical mint julep but then substituting the bourbon with his whiskey. He loved the concept and decided to test market the drink during this year’s parade (2018). Now that I see the ingredients used in your version of the cocktail, we just may have to tweak ours a bit!
Susannah says
That sounds amazing, Mark! The honey totally makes it, but you can absolutely go traditional with it. I really like the smooth finish of Irish whiskey in the mint julep, too. Thanks for stopping by and leaving a comment and review!
Mark Fitzgerald says
If you like bourbon as much as I do (my desired preference is Woodford Reserve) you ought to seek out Tullamore D.E.W. Irish Whiskey because it is not as bitter as Jameson’s but it has a smoother finish on your palette, much like Woodford Reserve bourbon!