The 2-Ingredient Cognac Cocktail That Was A Staple Of High Society

There is a drink you should know about, and it's called the Stinger. It used to be all the rage. Dating back to the early 1900s, it's said to have been invented by Reginald Vanderbilt, the wealthy father of Gloria Vanderbilt and grandfather of Anderson Cooper. According to Chilled magazine, he lovingly described it as "a short drink with a long reach, a subtle blend of ardent nectars, a boon to friendship, a dispeller of care." It appeared in the pages of books, on the big screen, at exclusive parties, and in the hands of big names like Frank Sinatra, Cary Grant, and James Bond. Best served as an after dinner digestif, it is made with cognac and white crème de menthe. Serve with a sprig of mint.

The power of this cocktail is in its simplicity. You need only two ingredients and you are sure to impress. The traditional recipe is two parts cognac to one part crème de menthe, but play with it to suit your taste. Shake, strain, and serve chilled in a beautiful crystal coupe over crushed ice. Be sure to use high-quality liquor so that each shines and enhance each other. The best cognac to use is full-bodied and strong to stand up to the flavor of mint. And it's imperative to choose an excellent clear crème de menthe (they call it "white" in the industry). 

Most historical cocktails have many theorized origin stories and are void of one certain beginning. This is true here, so we will offer the most exciting stories. 

Enter the glamorous martini, starting off with a bang in the 1880s, remaining timeless, and now ranking as America's second-most-popular cocktail. One theory is that it began as a celebratory drink in Martinez, California during the gold rush and made with gin, sweet vermouth, bitters, maraschino liqueur, and a lemon peel. As time went on it evolved into drier renditions best known for Ernest Hemingway's 15 parts gin to one part vermouth and James Bond's "shaken, not stirred" version with gin, vodka, Lillet, and a twist. Today the classic martini is made with two parts gin to one part dry vermouth and a dash of orange bitters.

The Southside is a lesser-known drink with a historic reference going back to the 1920's Al Capone era, when the South Side of Chicago was making bathtub gin of questionable flavor. To make it drinkable, it was mixed with sugar, citrus, and mint. Now it's made with two ounces of gin to one ounce of simple syrup and shaken with lemon juice and mint to be enjoyed in fine establishments. 

Another cocktail tale follows the French 75. Thought to have been named after the French 75-millimeter gun during World War I as a symbol of strength and hope, this beverage is made with gin, Champagne, lemon juice, and sugar.