A 'Stinger' is a duo cocktail made by adding crème de menthe to brandy (or Cognac). The classic 'Stinger' recipe uses three parts brandy and one part white crème de menthe. Some recipes call for equal parts of both.

The cocktail's origins can be traced to the United States in the 1890's, when the cocktail may have come from 'The Judge'; a cocktail made with brandy, crème de menthe, and simple syrup found in the 1892 cocktail book, 'The Flowing Bowl'.

It quickly became known as a "society" drink. According to bartender Jere Sullivan in his 1930 volume 'The Drinks of Yesteryear', the 'Stinger' remained a critical component of the bartender's repertoire until Prohibition. Early recipes required that the 'Stinger' be served straight, but after Prohibition it became more common for it to be served over crushed ice.

The 'Stinger's' popularity in New York City was so great that urban legends attributed the cocktail's genesis to millionaire Reginald Vanderbilt. It was further claimed that the 'Stinger' was Vanderbilt's favorite cocktail, and he spent hours making them for his guests. The 'Stinger's' reputation as a high-society drink led to its appearance in several famous novels. Even James Bond orders a 'Stinger' in the novel 'Diamonds are Forever'. The spy drinks 'Stingers' in the 1963 novel 'The Spy Who Came in from the Cold'. The beverage remained widely popular in America until the 1970's. It has always been a high-class drink that has had a wide cultural impact.

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