Rose Julep Winning Cocktails

blog | 04/09/2021

The results are in – we partnered with the Kentucky Derby Festival to find out which julep recipes reign supreme.

Check out the winning juleps to handcraft at home this season.

Six bartenders from across the region competed for top honors at the 18th annual Rose Julep Cocktail Competition. A panel of expert judges and the public chose the Judges’ Choice and People’s Choice winning juleps, respectively.

Bartender Isaac Fox of Louisville’s La Chasse took home the Judges’ Choice award for the “Aztec Julep,” a unique cocktail that mingles Four Roses Small Batch with a homemade roasted pineapple-chipotle syrup, freshly squeezed lemon juice, Bittermen’s Xocolatl Mole Bitters and mint.

Find the recipe here.

Bartender Colleen McCarthyof Louisville’s Martini Italian Bistro took home the People’s Choice award for “The Zing a Ling,” a unique cocktail that mingles Four Roses Small Batch with a homemade lingonberry shrub, freshly squeezed ruby red grapefruit juice, raw ginger, rhubarb bitters and mint.

Find the recipe here.

The top six finalists who qualified for this year’s competition included:

- Colleen McCarthy, Martini Italian Bistro, Louisville
- Isaac Fox, La Chasse, Louisville
- Sha Bustle, Thirsty Fox, Lexington
- Mike Abbott, Goodfella’s Wiseguy Lounge, Lexington
- Bill Whitlow, Rich’s Proper Food & Drink, Northern Kentucky
- Lauren Pellecchia, Northern Kentucky

The People’s Choice judging took place from March 22 – April 5, participants were encouraged to either visit each location or make the cocktails at-home and then vote online for their favorite. The judges scored the juleps based on aroma, creativity, taste and presentation.

Official competition judges included Andy Perez, 2021 Poster Artist; Matt Gibson, Kentucky Derby Festival CEO; Judy Hess, 2021 Kentucky Derby Festival Chairman; Sara Havens, The Bar Belle; and Maggie Menderski, The Courier-Journal.

Congratulations to the winners! If you handcraft one of these award-winning juleps at home, be sure to share a photo on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter and tag us so we can check it out.