Brandy Cocktails: Cognac
Stinger Cocktail
Stinger Cocktail Ingredients
2.25 oz. Pierre Ferrand Ambre
0.5 oz. Tempus Fugit Crème de Menthe
Garnish
Fresh mint
Stinger Cocktail Preparation
Combine all ingredients in a mixing glass and add ice. Stir 25-35 times. Strain into a coupe or stemmed glass. Garnish with a mint bouquet.
Stinger Cocktail Story
A classic combination of crème de menthe and brandy, the Stinger has appeared under various pseudonyms in bar manuals since 1891. A dash of Angostura and a twist of lemon was the Brant, minus the bitters, the Judge. It wasn't until 1917, when Tom Bullock wrote the recipe down as a Stinger, "Country Club Style," in his bar manual, The Ideal Bartender that the cocktail became the version we know today. In the 1920s, the Stinger was the ultimate nightcap, served in social clubs and upscale restaurants. Reginald Vanderbilt would add his signature dash of absinthe to the cocktail, soaking up a number of them before dinner at popular Madison Ave. restaurant, the Colony. Favored by New York City Mayor Jimmy Walker, the Colony was one of only a few restaurants to serve alcohol during Prohibition, keeping liquor in the elevator and serving quaffs in cups instead of glasses. The Stinger’s appearance in 1955’s High Society and 1957’s Kiss Them For Me cemented the drink’s pop status in American culture.