The Kentucky Derby is this weekend! For international readers, the Derby is America’s most famous annual horse race, and Derby viewing parties are a big tradition in America (especially the South). Derby parties are a great excuse to wear comically large hats and seersucker suits and pretend to be fancy while guzzling bourbon. The signature drink of the Derby is the one and only Mint Julep, and in preparation for this year’s Derby, Jessi had an idea for an experiment. You see, I recently expanded my back porch mint plants to include four varieties: peppermint, spearmint, chocolate mint, and apple mint. Jessi suggested making juleps with all four varieties so that we could determine which was the superior julep mint. Here’s the recipe:

Mint Julep
– 3-4 mint leaves
– 1 oz simple syrup
– 2.5 oz bourbon
– mint sprigs for garnish
Muddle mint leaves and simple syrup, add bourbon, and stir. Top with crushed ice, and garnish with mint sprig. Add julep strainer or cocktail straws if desired.

I made four juleps with the four different varieties of mint, and while they weren’t my prettiest presentation, we had no trouble assessing taste. Here are the results:

Peppermint
Perhaps the sweetest of the four mint varieties, peppermint is a natural choice for dessert drinks. Its smaller leaves can be difficult to work with, and while I used only 3 or 4 apple mint and spearmint leaves, when it came to the peppermint, I probably put at least six in there. Of my mint plants, the peppermint has had the toughest time in the Florida ecosystem so far— possibly just because the bugs here seem to thoroughly enjoy it. That being said, the peppermint led to a julep that was sweeter than the others but with a slight bite to it– as you might expect from a peppermint candy. Additionally, I noticed that this drink hit the strongest along the bottom of my mouth on either side of my tongue, and Jessi noted that the alcohol shined through most clearly with this mint variety. Again, if you’re making a dessert drink, this may be the ideal mint, but for juleps while watching the race, it wasn’t our favorite.

Chocolate Mint
I’ve paired this mint with Baileys on a frequent basis, and it’s a natural companion for spicier bitters varieties. Curiously, the chocolate mint julep had an almost savory quality to it, making it my pick of the four. These were possibly the smallest leaves out of the four mints, so they were difficult to work with, but I’m still a big fan of this variety. This one hits most in the upper palate, and it is hands down the smoothest of the four. Think “Andes Mint” for the flavor of this variety; it could naturally accompany a meat dish thanks to the aforementioned savory component, and it’s a great balance to any of the sweeter dessert fare you might serve at your Derby party.

Apple Mint
Definitely Jessi’s favorite of the four, apple mint is also hands down the easiest to work with. Its large leaves press easily under your fingers or the muddler. This mint carries a subtle spice and bitterness, making it ideal for fall drinks, and of the four, we found the flavor most overpowering in this variety. This stuff is outstanding, but be mindful that it can cover up the flavor of a lot of alcohol. In fact, of the four juleps, this may have been the most neutral, meaning you could add plenty of other ingredients (especially fresh berries) if you want something a little fancy at your Derby party.

Spearmint
I really expected peppermint to be the most traditionally minty of the four, so spearmint surprised me when it claimed that title. Second in size only to the apple mint, spearmint leaves are large and easy to work with, and of the four, this produced the most floral minty taste. In short, this mint tastes like winter. It has a strong nose to it and almost totally covers the taste of alcohol. If you’re looking for a distinctive mint taste, this is what you want in your garden. Regardless of our personal favorites, when it comes to making a classic mint julep to impress your guests, spearmint is probably the way to go.

So there you have it: four options for your mint julep. Definitely try out some other types of mint, and feel free to email me, tweet at me, or comment on this post if you find other varieties. As always, hospitality is the key to any kind of drink service, so play around, have fun with it, and find what works best for you and your guests. Enjoy the Derby! I’m off to make four different mojitos…