With this cocktail, I wanted to provoke the different senses while staying true to the simplicity of the Julep. It is one of the few cocktails that provides a unique tactile experience for the drinker—the touch of an ice cold metal cup and the feel of condensation. Taste, obviously, is paramount. Roasted peaches and pecans help complement bourbon’s existing notes of nut and orchard fruit. As for smell, I wanted to deviate from flavours and notes already found in the drink, adding an element of fragrance with the scent of basil. Finally, I wanted to have my Julep look unique, which is why I chose to use orange ice in the form of frozen peach juice. The cocktail’s name is a salute to Canadian Ron Turcotte, who rode the famous horse Secretariat for all three of his record-setting Triple Crown victories.
INGREDIENTS
Ice
Peach juice, frozen
Roasted Peach and Pecan Syrup
4 peaches, roasted
100 grams pecans, roasted
250 ml. raw sugar
500 ml. water
Cocktail
2 oz. Bulleit Bourbon
1 oz. roasted peach & pecan syrup
1 basil sprig
Crushed frozen peach juice
Garnish
Basil sprig
METHOD
Roasted Peach and Pecan Syrup
Roast peaches and pecans separately. Bring water to a boil and add sugar. Add peaches and pecans, let simmer for 30 minutes. Strain to remove any solids.
Cocktail
Fill a standard julep cup three-quarters full with crushed frozen peach juice (ice). Pour Bulleit Bourbon and roasted peach and pecan syrup over the ice. Top with more ice. Slap the basil to release its aromas. Tuck basil into the ice at the top of the cup.
TO SERVE
Place a straw next to the basil sprig and serve.
This year’s Deighton Cup at Hastings Racecourse hosted the Julep, a mixology competition. Some of Vancouver’s best cocktail-wielding establishments were tasked with creating an original interpretation of the classic mint julep cocktail featuring Bulleit Bourbon and using no more than five ingredients. Judged by Jay Jones, Mark Brand, Bulleit Bourbon’s Peter Thomasen, and Sandra O’Connell of Tales from a Bar Stool, contestants were evaluated based on presentation and technique, taste and balance, use of featured spirit, and general mixology knowledge. The Turcotte’s Julep cocktail by Hawksworth‘s Alex Black won second place.
