The Stinger
“It’s a Stinger. It removes the sting.”
That’s how Bing Crosby explained the origin of the drink’s name to Grace Kelly in the 1956 American musical comedy film High Society.
The cocktail seemingly originated around the 1890s, and may have been inspired by The Judge, a cocktail combining brandy, creme de menthe and a syrup, the recipe for which can be found in William Schmidt’s 1892 book The Flowing Bowl.
It quickly became popular in New York and was often understood as a “society” drink. That is, one only consumed by the upper classes. Initially, it wasn't seen as a cocktail, but rather a digestif or an after dinner drink. Its status can further be understood by its mention in the writing of humorist Don Marquis, who was writing around the 1910s. His character Hermione, an uptight, do-gooder socialist, refuses to call the drink a cocktail, indicating its popularity among the upper classes. Over time, its popularity spread and today, it's recognised as a beloved cocktail.
The cocktails appears in Jacques Straub’s 1913 book Straub’s Manual of Mixed Drinks, among the drink’s earliest appearances:
1⁄2 Jigger Brandy.
1⁄2 Jigger Creme de Menthe White.
1 Lemon Peel.
Shake, strain into Cocktail Glass.
But it really became popular during the 1920s to Reginald “Reggie” Vanderbilt, father of fashion designer Gloria Vanderbilt, himself a millionaire with an avid interest in cocktail making. In his 2015 book Updated & Revised Imbibe, David Wondrich lays down a page from a 1923 newspaper gossip column which credited Reggie with being the creator of the Stinger. It said that Reggie “was observed in all its pomp and glory in the bar of [his] home, and he himself was the high priest, the host, the mixer.” The story goes that Reggie’s Fifth Avenue home bar was modelled after Normandy’s William the Conqueror tavern. The article continues that: “the Stinger was his own invention, a short drink with a long reach, a subtle blending of ardent nectars, a boon to friendship, a dispeller of care.” tragically, Reggie died of liver failure in 1925.
In the 1930 book The Drinks of Yesteryear: A Mixology, bartender Jere Sullivan mentions that the Stinger was an important part of any bartender’s repertoire at least up until Prohibition. The drink was also popular during the Prohibition because the creme de menthe masked the taste of the cheap brandies, the only ones available on the market.
The Stinger’s popularity began to dip around the 1970s and it wasn’t a very well known cocktail during the early parts of the 21st century. Today, however, recognised most popularly as a combination of cognac and white creme de menthe, the drink has regained some favour, and has reclaimed its place as a staple on bartender’s repertoires.
Ingredients
Method
-Pour all the ingredients into a mixing glass with ice cubes.
-Stir well.
-Strain into a chilled martini cocktail glass.
-Optionally garnish with mint leaves.
