What julep means
A julep is a mixed drink of spirit, sugar and fresh mint, served very cold over crushed ice. The word is old and originally meant a sweet syrup, often used to make medicine more palatable, coming from the Persian word for rose water. Over time it came to mean a sweetened alcoholic drink, and today it almost always refers to the mint julep, a classic cocktail of the American South, especially Kentucky. A mint julep is made by gently pressing fresh mint leaves with sugar syrup in the bottom of a cup, adding bourbon, then packing the cup with finely crushed ice and stirring until the outside becomes frosted.
It is garnished generously with a sprig of mint, placed so the drinker smells it with each sip. Traditionally it is served in a silver or pewter julep cup, which frosts well and keeps the drink cold. It is famously associated with a horse race in Kentucky. Other versions use brandy, rum, gin or whisky, and some add fruit.
The mint should be pressed lightly rather than crushed hard, to avoid bitterness. The julep is often compared with the Cuban mojito, which also uses mint but adds lime and soda. You will see juleps in cocktail books and on bar menus.