Another one from Ted Haigh’s wonderful book.  This seemed perfect for a lazy holiday weekend, especially since the mint is taking over our garden again.  The julep cups were a gift from a friend who knows us all too well, so we even had the right hardware.

Georgia Mint Julep

2 oz Cognac (I used Chalfonte)
1 oz peach brandy
Mint leaves
1 tsp sugar

Dash of water

You have to love any drink that calls for “a dash of water”.

Muddle the mint leaves, water, and sugar in a julep cup (or a rocks glass, if you don’t have generous julep cup-bearing friends).  Add a bunch of crushed ice.  Pour the Cognac and the peach brandy in and stir the hell out of it.  Garnish with a right purdy sprig of mint. 

This is pretty much three ounces of straight liquor.  I’m slowly figuring out that vintage cocktails were all designed to knock the imbiber on his / her ass as efficiently as possible.  I’m going to have to do some adjustment to these; I just can’t kick ’em back like Don Draper did.

Cheers, y’all.