Woodford Reserve Unveils $5,000 Mint Julep Cup for Kentucky Derby 151

(Photo: Woodford Reserve)

On Tuesday, Woodford Reserve unveiled its $5,000 Mint Julep Cup for the 151st Kentucky Derby, with proceeds benefiting a nonprofit that supports retired thoroughbred fillies and broodmares.

A total of 151 cups are available — 51 crafted from polished pewter and 100 made of sterling silver with 24-karat gold plating. Each cup commemorates one of the only three fillies (young female horses) to win the Kentucky Derby: Regret (1915), Genuine Risk (1980), and Winning Colors (1988).

The funds raised will support Our Mims Retirement Haven, a farm near Paris, Kentucky, that cares for retired racehorses. The organization is named after the 1977 Eclipse Award-winning filly Our Mims.

“Fillies and mares are the backbone of the industry,” said Our Mims President Pete Mirabito said in a news release. “This partnership will help us continue rescuing and caring for these horses.”

The limited-edition cups were designed by Josh Merideth of Makers Agency and crafted by Louisville-based jeweler From the Vault. Both versions include lab-grown white and pink sapphires and sterling silver details such as the Derby trophy.

Cups must be purchased in advance and picked up at Churchill Downs during the Kentucky Oaks on May 2 or the Kentucky Derby on May 3. The purchase also includes access to the $5,000 Mint Julep Cup Experience.

The Filly Mint Julep Cocktail Recipe

This year’s featured cocktail recipe — called “The Filly Mint Julep” — includes three mint varieties in tribute to the trio of fillies:

• 2 oz. Woodford Reserve Kentucky Straight Bourbon
• 1 barspoon of simple syrup
• 1 sprig each of chocolate mint, peppermint and spearmint

Instructions: Serve over crushed ice in a julep cup and garnish with mint

Woodford Reserve is the presenting sponsor of the Kentucky Derby and is owned by Brown-Forman Corporation.

Ahead of last year’s Kentucky Derby, Woodford Reserve released its rarest whiskey ever, Woodford Reserve Kentucky Derby 150 Baccarat Edition. It was riced at $15,000.

Woodford Reserve is off to a hot start in 2025. In January, it released Woodford Reserve Double Double Oaked. Then, in February, Woodford dropped its highest-proof bourbon ever, which clocked in at a whopping 139.4 proof. Click here to read our review of that one.