A real mint julep, which I had the pleasure of drinking in New Orleans, is bruised fresh peppermint on the bottom, crushed ice, filled up with premium bourbon, and a dash of peach liqueur. No water and no sugar.
It's a great drink.
It's a great drink.
Liqueurs can also be fairly approximated as "sugar and a little water" with flavoring. So, not all that different.
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mint_julep - Mint julep is a mixed alcoholic drink, or cocktail, consisting primarily of bourbon, sugar, water, crushed or shaved ice, and fresh mint.
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> No water
The crushed ice melts and dilutes the drink, as is the case in nearly all cocktails.
https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/mint-julep-r...
http://www.thebucknerhome.com/julep/recipe.html
(No peaches here either)
The "ice" as fine as snow is particularly difficult. You'll want a triple-stitched bag, one that can take heavy pounding. You will also want dry ice. First, because it makes the water ice more brittle, and the second because it keeps your snow crisp, rather than dissolving into a slush. I suspect that there is a machine better suited to the task but I've not gone that far.
The mint is more subtle than suspected. Many "muddle" the mint, which is to say crush it with a muddler. This does release the mint oils, but it also releases the more vegetable tastes, particularly the chlorophyll, which alters the flavor profile. No, what is better is to slap the mint across the palm of your hand. This, apparently opens the pores of the mint leaves and allows the oils out while keeping the rest in. I also "round" the mint flavor by adding both spearmint and wintergreen.
My other changes are perhaps a little archaic, personal, even radical, but the first two ought ought to improve any julep.