Today is National Bourbon Day . Which is a good thing, I s'pose, as Bourbon is a close 2nd in the category of My Favorite Ardent Spirits. We all know about my favorite Bourbon cocktail -- the Whisk(e)y Sour, details upcoming thereon -- but when the thermometer starts to creep upward, chasing the spike in humidity, something minty is called for. Now, it seems that normal people who grow mint have it overrun their yard. I end up with a terracotta pot of damp dirt and beige twigs. Still, dum spiro, spero . So, in order to not make nothing but a waterfall of mojitos all summer* long, here's my choice cocktail: Joe's Julep 2 oz. Bourbon (my go-to for mixing is Maker's Mark) 1 oz. Rye (Templeton's is nice, if you're especially manly-manlike, add an extra ½ oz.) 1 dash Peychaud's Bitters 18 (!) mint leaves, any varietal, but Yerba Buena ( mentha nemorosa ) is optimal. 1 oz. superfine sugar (just put regular sugar in the food processor and zap it for as
