When a talented bartender like Darlin Kulla works side by side with a world-class kitchen staff, delicious things happen—like this cocktail, made with a blackberry sauce from the dessert menu at Succotash in D.C. “I find that the sweetness of the berries is a great pairing for the mint in the julep,” Kulla says. “We use champagne to brighten the cocktail and add an extra layer of fun.”
Mint Julep Month: Sparkleberry Mint Julep
for the cocktail
1½ oz. Maker's Mark® bourbon
1 tbsp. blackberry sauce (see recipe below)
¼ oz. lemon juice
½ oz. demerara sugar
Pebble ice
Splash Champagne or other dry sparkling wine
10 mint leaves
2 blackberries
Mint sprig
For Blackberry Sauce (yield enough for 4 drinks)
3 pints blackberries
½ cup sugar
½ cup maple syrup
Juice of 2 lemons
Preparation
- For the Cocktail: Muddle bourbon, blackberry sauce, lemon juice, and demerara sugar. Swizzle with crushed ice. Top with a splash of Champagne. Top with more pebble ice, forming a nice dome. Garnish with blackberries and a mint sprig.
- For the Blackberry Sauce: Mix all ingredients until smooth.
Meet the bartender
Recipe from Darlin Kulla of Succotash in Washington, D.C. Want more juleps? See other specialty mint julep recipes and learn more about Mint Julep Month here.