The 18th annual Rose Julep Cocktail Competition took place this year, with six bartenders from across the region competing for the winning spot.
The winners of the Judges’ Choice and People’s Choice juleps were chosen by a panel of expert judges and the public 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.
Aztec Julep
Bartender Colleen McCarthy of 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.
Zing a Ling
The top six finalists who qualified for this year’s competition included:
From March 22 to April 5 the People’s Choice judging took place, with participants encouraged to either visit each location or make the cocktails at home, before voting 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.
The winners of the Judges’ Choice and People’s Choice juleps were chosen by a panel of expert judges and the public 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.
Bartender Colleen McCarthy of 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.
The top six finalists who qualified for this year’s competition included:
- Colleen McCarthy, Martini Italian Bistro, Louisville
- Isaac Fox, La Chasse, Louisville
- Mike Abbott, Goodfella’s Wiseguy Lounge, Lexington
- Sha Bustle, Thirsty Fox, Lexington
- Bill Whitlow, Rich’s Proper Food & Drink, Northern Kentucky
- Lauren Pellecchia, Northern Kentucky
From March 22 to April 5 the People’s Choice judging took place, with participants encouraged to either visit each location or make the cocktails at home, before voting 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.
