Quick!
What is “The Most Exciting Two Minutes in Sports?”
a) Get your mind out of the gutter.
b) The manager reaching, at last, the suspended cash register with “The Key.”
c) Your car racing—then screeching to a stop—by a valet with your radio’s volume weaponized.
d) “The Run for the Roses” or The Kentucky Derby.
If your head swelled two sizes because you aced this gimme quiz, there’s a grand hat for you, and an event where mint juleps are served. It’s a lot of buildup for two minutes but people keep coming back for more.
“Riders up!”
Scroll down to see more photos and read more about Woodford Reserve: Kentucky Derby Recipes.
“The Horse’s Neck is very interesting! I taste the Woodford Reserve bitters that have a woody taste. I like the bitters. This is very unique!”
I heard of the mint julep but I had never tasted one. My bucket list these days is filled with Irish coffees and mint juleps. Mountain tops and ocean floors will have to wait. Since I can’t go to The Kentucky Derby this year, I decided to bring a taste of Kentucky home. With Woodford Reserve Bourbon and a few recipes from the official website of The Kentucky Derby, Lisa, my mom and I were at the starting gate. Instead of running 10 furlongs we thought wise to limit ourselves to three drinks.
Each.
Let’s see who comes spinning out of the turn.
The field consisted of not 20 contenders but three: Horse’s Neck, Spire, and Classic Mint Julep. Horse’s Neck was lined up against the rail, post number one. This is the ideal starting gate position, but it is burdened with the most pressure to win. Spire was slotted one spot over in the second post position, close enough to the rail but not pressured to lead wire to wire. Classic Mint Julep was in post number three, a good line to make a dash for the rail at the right moment. With the promenade empty and the starting gates full of tense excitement, all we needed was a dignitary to shout, “Riders Bottoms Up!”
Woodford Reserve Horse’s Neck
Ingredients:
2 oz. Woodford Reserve® Bourbon
Dash of Woodford Reserve Sassafras & Sorghum Bitters
Ginger Ale
Lemon Peel Twist
Preparation:
Serve over ice and garnish with a lemon twist.
Would the Horse’s Neck win or lose by a neck? Mom: “The Horse’s Neck is very interesting! I taste the Woodford Reserve bitters that have a woody taste. I like the bitters. This is very unique!” Lisa: “Oh, this is good! The color is golden. The Woodford Reserve is subtle. There’s a nice undertone of the bitters!” And me: “This has such nice color! I smell ginger ale. I like the fizz. The bitters have a star anise quality. When I first taste this, I get the sweet, the bright, and the fizz; then, I taste the Woodford Reserve with the bitters chasing at the end!” Horse’s Neck is making a strong finish for the line. It’s going to be close!
Woodford Reserve Spire
Ingredients:
1.5 oz. Woodford Reserve® Bourbon
2 oz. Lemonade
1 oz. Cranberry Juice
Lemon Twist
Preparation:
Serve over ice and garnish with a lemon twist.
Churchill Downs, named for Samuel Churchill, opened in 1875, the first year of the Kentucky Derby. Including the accommodating infield space, the capacity is 170,000. The grandstand is famous for its iconic twin spires. Churchill Downs was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1986.
It is fitting that a drink should be named after the twin spires. After raising a glass, does it hold up? Mom: “This has very nice color! I taste cranberry juice and Woodford Reserve. The taste is nice and tart with lemon last. I like the sourness. This is smooth!” Lisa: “Oh, the Spire is very good! I taste Woodford Reserve and cranberry juice at the same time, and a little lemon at the end. This is so refreshing and crisp. The flavors really appeal to me!” And me: “I taste cranberry first, Woodford Reserve balancing everything, and lemon last! This is nice and tart. It’s so smooth and balanced!” The twin spires and the Spire capture everyone’s interest. Would it take the win?
“Oh, the Spire is very good! I taste Woodford Reserve and cranberry juice at the same time, and a little lemon at the end. This is so refreshing and crisp. The flavors really appeal to me!”
And now a late charge from an old favorite, the original, the spirit of The Kentucky Derby. Even if you have never watched “The Run for the Roses,” you have probably heard of the mint julep. Have you ever tasted one? We had not until now.
What is a julep? It is a drink with roots going back to the Carolinas and Virginia, but its origins can be traced to the Middle Ages, when spirits mixed with herbs and sugar were consumed for good health. What exactly makes a drink a julep? It is a spirit combined with a sweetener and an herb. How is a mint julep different from other juleps? The Kentucky version demands bourbon; and, not just any bourbon. Kentucky is the birthplace of bourbon. Kentucky bourbon is fine, but Woodford Reserve Bourbon is so exceptional that it is the official bourbon of The Kentucky Derby.
Woodford Reserve Classic Mint Julep
Ingredients:
2 oz. Woodford Reserve® Bourbon
1/2 oz. Simple Syrup
3 Fresh Mint Leaves
Crushed Ice
Preparation:
Express the essential oils in the mint and rub them inside the glass. To the same glass, add simple syrup, bourbon and crushed ice. Stir. Garnish with more ice and fresh mint.
Does the old favorite still have legs? We leaned forward to watch the final turn. Mom: “This is very smooth and easy to drink! It doesn’t have a bite at all. I like the smell and taste of mint. This is very fresh and light!” Lisa: “This is so refreshing! The mint smooths over the Woodford Reserve but you still taste the Kentucky bourbon. The mint has a nice smell, and the simple syrup makes everything so smooth. The crushed ice is a function of the drink. I expressed the mint too. I can see why this is so popular at the Kentucky Derby!” And me: “The Classic Mint Julep is much smoother than I thought it would be! I taste the strong mint impression. I think the crushed ice enhances the flavors because it chills the drink as you draw it through the small melting pieces of ice. The ice is like a straw, but it’s also part of the drink. I am very impressed!” After all, a cloud of dust or a haze of alcohol left us breathless. It was time to review the photo finish!
“The Classic Mint Julep is much smoother than I thought it would be! I taste the strong mint impression. I think the crushed ice enhances the flavors because it chills the drink as you draw it through the small melting pieces of ice. The ice is like a straw, but it’s also part of the drink. I am very impressed!”
My mom filled out her scorecard as such: Spire, Classic Mint Julep, Horse’s Neck. Lisa saw them come in as: Spire, Classic Mint Julep, Horse’s Neck. I thought they finished like so: Classic Mint Julep, Spire, Horse’s Neck. This was a tight race, definitely most exciting, and it lasted longer than two minutes! The final results were announced. WIN: Spire. PLACE: Classic Mint Julep. SHOW: Horse’s Neck. Not one drink was included to “round out the field.” Try them all on a spin around the track. You might see different results. Horses for courses.
What started on a whim to try a mint julep became an experience that dug deep into the history of the Classic Mint Julep, The Kentucky Derby, Woodford Reserve Bourbon, Churchill Downs, and so much more. Who knew? We didn’t then but we do now. And so do you. Well, not just yet. Shake a leg and make a run for the rail. Taste victory!
To learn more about the Kentucky Derby, visit Kentucky Derby
To learn more about Woodford Reserve, visit Woodford Reserve
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The Simple Luxuries 
So the difference is using a good solid Kentucky bourbon. Aha! That explains why bourbon is Gibbs’ favorite spirit. Thank you for the research as well. Nicely done! Will pass this along to my son as well.
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Hi, S! Yes, Kentucky bourbon is key; and, if you’re going to do it, you gotta go BIG with Woodford Reserve!
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I always thought mint julep were sweet drinks. I had no idea they’re made with bourbon!
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Hi, kimbakatt! I had no idea what to expect. The Classic Mint Julep totally exceeded my expectations! I expect to have it again this Saturday!
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