Pick the leaves from all but one of the mint sprigs, leaving it for garnish. Mash the leaves with a dash of simple syrup in the bottom of a highball glass with a muddler. Fill the glass with ice cubes. Add the bourbon and simple syrup. Stir gently with a bar spoon. Garnish with the remaining mint sprig and serve with a straw.

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The mint julep is a mixed alcoholic drink, or cocktail, associated with the cuisine of the Southern United States. A mint julep is traditionally made of four ingredients: mint, bourbon, sugar, and water. Traditionally, spearmint is the mint of choice used in Southern states; in particular, Kentucky Colonel. In the use of sugar and mint, it is similar to the mojito. In preparing a mint julep, a fresh mint sprig is used primarily as a garnish, to introduce the flavor and aroma through the nose. If mint leaves are used in the preparation, they should just be very lightly bruised, if at all. However, proper preparation of the cocktail is commonly debated, as methods may vary considerably from one bartender to another. By another method, the mint julep may be considered as one of a loosely associated family of drinks called "smashes" (the brandy smash is another example, as well as the mojito), in which fresh mint and other ingredients are muddled or crushed in preparation for flavoring the finished drink. The step further releases essent...

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