The Woodford Reserve $1,000 and $5,000 Mint Julep cups charity program, a distinctive annual tradition, this year celebrates a sporting milestone: The 150th Running of The Kentucky Derby.

A total of 300 rare julep cups have been created to mark the historic occasion. Each features the iconic Twin Spires of Churchill Downs adorned in either emeralds or crystals.

“These julep cups are a tribute to 150 years of greatness,” Woodford Reserve Master Distiller Elizabeth McCall said. “They’re a true spectacle, and every detail has been handcrafted.”

The cups are an annual tradition benefiting a charity. Proceeds this year will support the Backside Learning Center, an independent non-profit organization providing support and resources for the diverse community of racetrack workers and their families at Churchill Downs.

“We are excited to have been chosen by the Woodford Reserve team as the beneficiary of the julep cup proceeds this year. We see every day the hard work and sacrifice that is made by hundreds of people who are truly the unsung heroes of the sport,” Sherry Stnaley, Executive Director at The Backside Learning Center, said. “The awareness and support this opportunity will bring is critical to our important mission, as we provide transformational programs and services to a community that is so central to the industry.”

Handmade by Louisville-based jeweler From the Vault, each cup features the racetrack’s famed Twin Spires. The cup also features an engraving marking the 150th anniversary of The Kentucky Derby, 1875-2024.

A total of 300 cups are available: 200 are silver cups, priced at $1,000, featuring 44 emeralds; 100 are gold cups, priced at $5,000, featuring 44 crystals. The gold cups include a commemorative, limited-edition coffee table book that explores the 150 years of The Kentucky Derby.

The cups can be picked up at the opulent $1,000 Mint Julep Cup Experience at Churchill Downs on Friday, May 3 (Kentucky Oaks Day) or Saturday, May 4 (Derby Day). For the first time, customers can choose to have the cups shipped to their homes, arriving in time for Derby celebrations.

The mint julep recipe for 2024 features Woodford Reserve Bourbon and handmade rose-infused honey simple syrup, which honors the celebration of the 150th Run for the Roses.

The Rose Mint Julep

2 oz. Woodford Reserve Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

1 tsp. of rose-infused honey simple syrup

6 Mint Leaves

Miniature rose buds, for garnish

Directions: Wipe mint leaves inside a julep cup, expressing the fragrances and flavor. Drop the leaves in the cup. Add rose-infused honey simple syrup, crushed ice and Woodford Reserve Bourbon to the cup. Garnish with mint and miniature rose buds.

Rose-infused Honey Simple Syrup

Put a handful of rose hips into a jar of honey. Let it sit for two weeks. Filter out any remaining rose hips.  Add one part rose-infused honey and one part water to make simple syrup.

Woodford Reserve^® is the Presenting Sponsor of the Kentucky Derby. Sales of the $1,000 Mint Julep cups start on April 9 at 10am EST on woodfordreserve.com.