“The base to this cocktail is the classic julep,” says Steven Huddleston, beverage manager at Camellias, a champagne bar in Charleston’s newly-opened Hotel Bennett. “Many people assume that the history of the mint julep started at the Kentucky Derby, but it actually originated in Virginia, where it was classically made with rum and brandy. We decided to elevate the standard julep by switching out the historical brandy base for cognac and topping it with champagne.”