Green Tea and Peach Julep

In honor of the first Saturday in May …… Any Kentucky Derby fans out there? Hope about bourbon lovers? This cocktail is for you if so. I know the Mint julep is the Derby’s signature cocktail, but this one is so much better and can still call itself a Julep.

Ingredients :

1 cup green tea, cooled (I used a excellent Fortnum & Mason Long Jing Green Tea)

1 cup fresh squeezed peach nectar

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

6 oz bourbon (I used Woodford reserve here, but will be divided as a shot per glass into 4 glasses)

Garnish (had to use mint leaves to keep with tradition)

Directions :

Brew green tea, allow to cool then assemble all the other ingredients. For the peach nectar, I slice a peach into quarters, remove pit, muddle and then strain the juice. Add tea, peach and lemon juice to a pitcher with ice and stir vigorously. Fill 4 cocktail glasses (can add a large ice cube if desired) with a shot each of bourbon (1.5 oz is standard but some of us have a heavy pour). Pour the juice mixture from the pitcher to fill (about 5 oz each), garnish and serve.