Elegance Silver 90371 Silver Plated Beaded Mint Julep Cup, 12 oz.

As a home mixologist, I was looking for a fine quality mint julep cup... and priced so I didn't have to dip into my 401K. After considerable online searching, I came across these terrific silver-plated cups.My experience with some metal housewares from India is that they are not suitable for food service -- some even have warning tags on the utensils (naturally, we are advised of this caution only after purchase). Apparently, the metal impurities in some of these cups, plates & cutlery contain toxins. When used for food or drink, the impurities leach into what we consume. This is true with certain products made of pewter, brass, copper, and also stainless steel. Although not a universal problem with all imported metal utensils, the frequency of the problem is troubling.The silver plating on these particular cups is first-rate and offers a food-safe "barrier" for any impurities that may be present in the base metal of the cup (in this case stainless steel). Not to turn this review into rocket science, but most of us would rather not eat or drink from contaminated imported utensils (and no, I'm not a food neurotic).My wife and I could not be more pleased with these beautiful cups. The silver plating is polished to a high luster on the outside and satin-finish on the cup interior. They are heavy and well made, very attractive, larger capacity than most on the market, and add much to the enjoyment of our mint juleps. We think we're at the Kentucky Derby -- "Oh, be still ma' heart. I think I'm gettin' the vapahs!"For what it's worth, here is the mint julep recipe we found most enjoyable. Place 6 fresh spearmint leaves in the bottom of the cup and gently press a few times with a muddler -- just enough to release the essential oils. Fill the cup 3/4 with crushed ice from your freezer door (crushed ice is a must). Add 2-3 ounces of quality bourbon (like Evan Williams Black Label, Maker's Mark, Elijah Craig, Eagle Rare, or Knob Creek depending on your wallet & preferences). Add 1/2 ounce simple syrup and stir until the cup is ice cold. Top with a crown of crushed ice, add two small bar straws, garnish with a mint sprig and enjoy.

What sort of madness possessed me to splurge on a freakin' silver cup? I'm not Kentuckian, and I don't go to derbys that I can't afford. Just maybe those budget derbys.You could always drink your mint julep out of a simple rocks glass, but drinking it out of a silver cup is an extra chill experience. Chill as in refreshing, relaxing, and icy cold. Yes, your beverage *does* get noticeably colder to the touch when it's frosting in its metal cup.There should be no reason to limit the use of this cup to mint juleps alone, however! I could see this as a fine home for just about any icy beverage on a warm evening. A silver julep cup would make a splendid gift for that friend who has everything.I've never bought a silver cup before, so I have nothing to compare this to; therefore, five stars it is.

Great glass for mint juleps. Wasn't sure if it was legitimate until it tarnished. Great value for a good julep cup

I wanted to write this to point out that the tins are not matte finish like they are pictured on Amazon. I ordered 4 of them because I liked the matte look, so I was disappointed to find that they are shiny which is a style I didn't want. Also just want to note that each is different, when I line all 4 up next to each other, some are taller and others shorter.

These cups look very nice and have a good weight to them. I got a set of 4 to use for mint juleps, but due to a defect in craftsmanship I had to send one back. They seem to have a few minor imperfections here and there, but overall very nice. They're not "high-end" but do add a touch of elegance to your bar collection.

Great product. Item does not look like advertised picture. It is completely shiny and has no matte finish and no design.

I ordered 2 of these and both had a few blemishes. I tried to use silver polish to work out what I could, but there were still some spots beyond saving. It's an okay gift to buy if someone isn't that picky or pays attention to detail, but I don't know if I'd buy again just because it's not the best quality out there.

These are heavy mugs, which give them a high quality feel. It also means that these mugs will nicely build up that desired smooth frost buildup on your julep.

Ordered two mugs. One is about two inches larger than the other, and came with obvious signs of repackaging. There were significant scratches on the inside of both of them.Spend the extra $5-$10 and get a product that you'll be happy with. Don't buy these.