CLASSIC COCKTAIL · 1890–1919
Stinger
Cognac and white crème de menthe stirred cold: the after-dinner digestif of the Gilded Age.
1910sHistorical classicResearched
The Stinger is a simple after-dinner drink of cognac and white crème de menthe, served very cold. It appears in American bar books in the 1910s and became a staple of hotel bars and gentlemen’s clubs. Its two-ingredient build makes it a useful test of proportion: too much mint and it tastes like toothpaste.
THE RECIPECool, minty and spirit-forward
Ingredients
- Cognac60 ml
- White crème de menthe20 ml
- Mint sprigto garnish
Method
Stir the cognac and crème de menthe with ice until very cold. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass and garnish with a mint sprig.
Cocktail glass · no ice · mint sprig