Fresh mint
Bar staples · usually a accent · in 5 cocktails here
What it is
Press it, never shred it. Tearing the leaves releases chlorophyll and the drink starts tasting green and grassy.
What it tastes like
Cool menthol in the aroma rather than the liquid. Most of what you taste in a julep you are actually smelling.
What it does in a drink
Aromatic. It is pressed rather than muddled, and worked for the oils in the leaf rather than any juice.
Cocktails with fresh mint
Unlocks 5 recipes on Drinki.
Best known
- Mint Julep IBA Crushed ice, packed to a dome, until the cup frosts over.
- Southside IBA A mojito that went to a nicer school.
- Mojito IBA Press the mint, do not shred it. Bruised mint tastes like a lawn.
- Ginger Lime Cooler The one to hand someone who is driving.
- Virgin Mojito All of the ritual, none of the rum.
What it pairs with
The ingredients that turn up alongside fresh mint far more often than chance would predict.
Substitutes
Nothing substitutes for fresh mint convincingly.