American silver julep cup inscribed "Levi Tyler to his nephew Levi Tyler", circa 1820, unmarked likely coin silver
Size: 3 ¾ h in
C19798
The Mint Julep cocktail has a fascinating history. Today it is associated with the American South and horse racing, in particular the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs. Now commonly a bourbon cocktail it was once made with gin, rum or brandy mixed with simple sugar syrup, muddled mint and ice.
Mint julep appears in literature as early as 1784 and was prescribed for sickness of the stomach. Historically mint julep was drunk by farmers as a medicinal drink before heading to the fields for the day. It was described in a John Davis book published in London in 1803 as a “dram of spiritous liquor that has mint steeped in it, taken by Virginians of a morning”. It appears that the mint julep was our modern day cup of coffee of the early American South. In the 19th century it became popular at horse racing events as a cold muddled drink with the addition of shaved or crushed ice, and today over 120,000 of the cocktails are served at Churchill Downs.
A mint julep cup, traditionally made of silver or pewter, is designed to be held by the top or bottom so that the ice in the drink can produce a frost on the outside, preserving the coldness of the beverage. The top and bottom lip are rounded out to allow for ease of holding to prevent grasping the center of the cup. Julep cups are often personalized and given as gifts, as with this example from circa 1820 which is inscribed "Levi Tyler to his nephew Levi Tyler".