Meditation on mint juleps

Chris wrote the beginning of this post, re-pasted here, before the Internet wonked out:

Mr. Boston has two recipes for the Mint Julep, so we made both of them today. To make a Mint Julep muddle 4 sprigs mint, 1 tsp. powdered sugar, and 2 tsps. water in a collins glass. Fill the glass with crushed ice and then add 2.5 oz bourbon.

To make a Mint Julep (Southern Style) dissolve 1 tsp. powdered sugar into 2 tsp. water in a collins glass. Fill the glass with finely shaved ice and add 2.5 oz bourbon. Then stick 6 sprigs of mint in the glass. Serve with a short straw because the point is to smell the mint, not to taste it.

I liked both of these beverages. The traditional mint julep really tastes minty. In the southern style, the scent of mint almost fools you into tasting it.

Chris is doing some "law school" work right now, so I'm left to finish the posting for the evening. I also enjoyed both juleps, and am surprised to report that I actually prefer the southern style. Given my predilection for mojitos, I expected that I would favor the traditional julep. However, the southern style somehow had a sweeter taste and the scent of mint leaves produced a more pleasant aftertaste.

Like so many bourbon drinks before these, I think they would be fantastic in the warm sun.