The Stinger
The Stinger is definitely one of those cocktails that is designed to be a digestif. The sweet mintiness of the Crème de Menthe meets the boozy blast of Cognac in this classic cocktail that after a hearty meal is the piece de resistance to bring one more smile to the faces of your dinner guests!
There are mentions of similar recipes as the Stinger that date back to the end of the 19th century, but the popularity of the Stinger in the USA is attributed to millionaire financier Reginald Vanderbilt. Ol ‘Reggie’ as he was known to his friends claimed to have created the Stinger in the bar of his Manhattan mansion, where it was mixed and served, mixed and served so much so that ol Reggie might as well have created it.
The Stinger uses clear (white) Crème de Menthe, apparently the use of green Crème de Menthe results in an Emerald, which is nice to know, but I tend to steer clear of green cocktails since a teenage era rdv with a bottle of Midori, but that’s another story!
Traditionally the Stinger is mixed in the shaker with ice and strained into a chilled coupé glass, but of course, tastes evolve and today’s palate is geared more for cocktails on ice rather than slightly syrupy cocktails served straight up. I do not have a preference, I like both variations, but for a classic digestif it should be served the traditional way.
60ml Cognac/Armagnac
25ml Crème de Menthe
Mix all ingredients with ice and strain into an old-fashioned glass over ice. Garnish with a bouquet of Mint leaves.
