Month of Cocktails – #17 Stinger

Mmmmm, minty. This one couldn’t be easier. It’s two parts brandy to one part creme de menthe. Shake with ice in a shaker and pour into highball glass, either neat or on the rocks. Garnish with a lemon twist if you desire, but it seems unnecessary. It could be dangerous, it goes down smooth. To quote the Washington Post quoting David Wondrich’s Imbibe! -

“The Stinger has always been considered a Society drink,” writes David Wondrich in his entertaining new cocktail history, “Imbibe!”, noting that it was the favorite drink of Reginald Vanderbilt. A 1923 profile of Vanderbilt described the Stinger as “a short drink with a long reach, a subtle blending of ardent nectars, a boon to friendship, a dispeller of care.” This classic is a perfect drink for after dinner.