$1000 Mint Julep

This $1,000 Mint Julep sounds even better than the $10,000 Diamond Martini. And it's a bargain at 1/10 of the price!

The sweet cocktail will be made with one of the state's finest bourbons and served in a gold-plated cup with a silver straw to the first 50 people willing to put down the cash at the May 6 race.

Mint from Morocco, ice from the Arctic Circle and sugar from the South Pacific will put this mint julep in a class of its own, the distillery selling the drink said.

It sounds about as fantastic as cocktails with a gimmick can! And I love a gimmick! It's a good thing I'm not planning a trip to Kentucky any time soon, or I'd be very tempted.

I've still never tried a Mint Julep. I thought I should when I was in New Orleans, but there never seemed an appropriate time. It's really a drink for lounging a hot summer day, not wandering Bourbon Street with the crowds. Also, I'm a bit afraid that adding sugar to bourbon will make it grossly sweet. Those southerners like their sugar even more than I do.