Stinger
Brandy, mint, midnight
A refined after-dinner classic where white crème de menthe meets cognac in a cooling, sweet embrace. Simple, potent, and the kind of nightcap that doesn't apologize.
Ingredients
- 1 3/4 oz Cognac
- 2/3 oz Crème de Menthe White
Method
Pour both ingredients into a mixing glass filled with ice. Stir until well-chilled. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with a fresh mint sprig.
Originated circa 1890 at New York's Hotel Bartholdi as the "Bartholdi Cocktail" (cognac and crème de menthe). The "Stinger" name emerged around 1910, first documented in a handwritten addendum to William T. Boothby's American Bartender (attributed to John C. O'Connor's bar in San Francisco); formally published in Jacques Straub's 1913 Straub's Manual of Mixed Drinks. Gained widespread popularity in the 1920s through Reginald "Reggie" Vanderbilt. Per IBA (The Unforgettables list); Difford's Guide #1874.
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