Woodford Reserve Unites with Fashion & Mixology's Top Talent to Create 2016 Kentucky Derby $1,000 Mint Julep Cup

Woodford Reserve today unveils its $1,000 Mint Julep Cup available at the Kentucky Derby and benefiting the Permanently Disabled Jockeys Fund. Now in its 11th year, the 2016 iteration offers an elevated Derby experience curated by Master Distiller Chris Morris, in partnership with acclaimed menswear designer Hamilton Shirts and New York mixologist Julie Renee Williams.

This year's special Mint Julep recipe pays tribute to the traditional southern dessert of pecan pie, featuring a trifecta of fresh, original ingredients and garnishes.

Woodford Reserve 2016 Kentucky Derby Mint Julep

• 2oz Woodford Reserve Distiller's Select
• .75oz Toasted Pecan Orgeat Syrup
• Fresh Mint
• Caramelized pecan crumbles for garnish
• Edible copper flakes
             
  Rub fresh mint around julep cup. Combine ingredients with crushed ice and swizzle in glass. Add more crushed ice, garnish with mint bunch, caramelized pecan crumbles and edible copper flakes.
                  
  To make toasted pecan orgeat, toast pecans, mix or muddle into small pieces and simmer on low heat to create a nut milk. Fine strain or use a nut milk bag to remove nut pieces, and add equal parts sugar to liquid.

"Woodford Reserve prides itself on producing bourbon with a flavor that blends our historic past with our current innovative style, and this year's special Mint Julep recipe does just that," says Woodford Reserve Master Distiller Chris Morris.

The signature $1,000 Mint Julep Cups were designed by Houston-based men's shirt designer Hamilton Shirts and handcrafted at Louisville-based jeweler From the Vault.

"The $1,000 Mint Julep Cup is representative of our approach to design, with an engraved classic plaid graphic and stitch beading," said David Hamilton, a fourth-generation co-owner of Hamilton Shirts. "As a family-owned company rooted in heritage and tradition, we're honored to be a part of an event as iconic as the Kentucky Derby, and thrilled to work alongside Woodford Reserve."

In addition to the cups themselves, Hamilton also developed an exclusive, limited edition fabric that will accompany each cup in its box's lining.

"Partnering with two talented artists represents our commitment to create an unparalleled experience for Kentucky Derby fans," said Morris. "Woodford Reserve has donated more than $425,000 to equine and humanitarian-related causes through this program, and we are proud to continue to positively impact these communities through this year's $1,000 Mint Julep Cup."

Each year, Woodford Reserve selects a charitable organization to receive the net proceeds from the $1,000 Mint Julep Cup sales. This year's receiving charity is the Permanently Disabled Jockeys Fund, which works to provide financial assistance to former jockeys who have suffered catastrophic on-track injuries.

"The Permanently Disabled Jockeys Fund greatly appreciates being chosen once again by Woodford Reserve to receive the funds raised by their $1,000 Mint Julep Cup program," said Nancy LaSala, the organization's president. "We are grateful for their contribution and help in continuing to aid injured jockeys."