thin mint julep

2 oz Fernet Branca
1 oz Crème de Cacao

Lightly muddle 2 sprigs of mint in some of the crème de cacao. Add crushed ice and the rest of the ingredients. Stir and top off with more ice. Garnish with 2 sprigs of mint and add a straw.

Two Thursdays ago, we went over to Lineage for Andrea's birthday. One of the drinks that I had stemmed from a discussion with bartender Ryan Lotz about Mint Juleps. The conversation led to the creation of a chocolate and minty variation that utilized crème de cacao and Fernet Branca in addition to the mint. As I learned from the Hansen Special and the Fernet Alexander, Fernet Branca pairs exceptionally well with crème de cacao.
Indeed, the Julep was chocolate and mint with extra herbal complexity stemming from the Fernet; while I got a lingering mint note, Andrea perceived a lingering chocolate one. Like in the drinks mentioned above, the crème de cacao worked both to soften and complement the Fernet Branca. When Andrea declared that "It tastes like a Girl Scout cookie!", the drink was dubbed the Thin Mint Julep after their Thin Mints cookies.