Lost Draw Cellars served up a knock off of the traditional mint julep, the Lost Draw Jock-tail, that was delicious and put everyone in high spirits. Bourbon whiskey was switched out and Lost Draw’s own dessert wine, LDC Cheval, took its place as the star of the drink. The mint julep—an iced drink consisting of bourbon, mint, and sugar syrup, is the traditional beverage of the race and is traditionally served in a frosted silver julep cup, but most Derby attendees now sip theirs from souvenir glasses that have become a tradition since 1939. True to that tradition, we sipped our Jock-tails from a Lost Draw souvenir wine glass made for the occasion.

Of course, then I wondered at how closely they resembled each other because it has been years since I tried a true Mint Julep. I’m not a big fan of bourbon whiskey, but my Dad was. So much so that an unfinished bottle that was my Dad’s when he came to visit sits on a top shelf in the liquor cabinet. Phil and his brothers called him “Jimmy Beam.” But I’m not sure it was justified. My Dad was a beer man. In fact, whenever he got into a scrape down south of the border, he just uttered his favorite word cervaza and he claimed it made a friend of anyone and everyone. The eternal optimist, Dad had certain tricks up his sleeve that he could pull out and save the day. In truth, Dad was a chameleon. He was as much at home amongst the old headhunter tribes in the jungles of the Philippines as he was amongst the big brass in the halls of power in Washington, D.C. Sometimes, I think he preferred the rough and tumble rowdies to the buttoned ups of the world. But that was Dad. He could sip mint juleps at the Kentucky Derby or down scotch at a power outage in a music hall in Ireland.

So–Mint Julep or Lost Draw Jock-tail? You decide.

Lost Draw Jock-tail

2 oz. LDC Cheval (dessert wine)
.25 oz Simple Syrup
6-8 Fresh Mint Leaves
Club Soda
2 Dashes Bitters
Crushed Ice

Muddle 6 fresh mint leaves in cocktail shaker. Add ice. Add Cheval and simple syrup. Shake. Pour in glass with crushed ice. Top with soda (splash), top with 2 dashes bitters, and garnish with a mint sprig or two and ENJOY!