When I found out that this Mixology Monday - hosted at Kaiser Penguin was going to be devoted to mint, I immediately thought of crème de menthe and one of the classic cocktails devoted to it, the Stinger, a combination of brandy and crème de menthe. I’ve never had a stinger before, but then again am not a huge crème de menthe fan. There may be some good brands out there – I await to see what the other Monday Mixologists are uncovering – but in general, I find the liqueur too one-note, as subtle as a vial of McCormick’s mint extract. Frankly I wasn’t sure I wanted to plunk down twenty bucks on a bottle that would linger unused on my shelf.

My solution was to make my own mint liqueur. Nothing too refined, I just started with an overproof rum, a bunch of chopped mint and some simple syrup:

Simple Mint Liqueur

2/3 c. chopped mint leaves
1/3 c. 151-proof rum (I used J. Wray & Nephew overproof white rum)
simple syrup, 1:1 ratio, sugar to water

In a bowl or jar placed in the refrigerator, soak leaves overnight in rum. Strain mixture through a sieve, pressing out excess alcohol. It should measure about a quarter cup. Add enough syrup to make 1/3 c. total. (Or, if making in larger quantities, keep 2 parts rum to 1 part syrup.)

From there, a nice, subtle stinger is just a step away.

I’ve actually become fond of making a number of brandy cocktails with cognac. (Cognac is brandy, but not all brandies are cognac.) I don’t break the bank, but for 25 bucks or so, maybe less, you can get a decent, full-bodied cognac with a nice kick that far more focused than the sweet, full brandies that comprise the cheaper brands. Not what you want all the time, but here a VSOP Marquis de Gensac carried the day.

Stinger Deluxe

1 jigger cognac
1 jigger simple mint liqueur

Shake ingredients well and strain into chilled cocktail glass. Garnish if you like.

Since the homemade mint liqueur was far less cloying and sweet than crème de menthe, I feel justified in using a sugared rim and a mint sprig for garnish.

A lot of trouble, I’m sure plenty of you are saying. Or maybe you just want a full mint taste, something understated in my version. The traditional recipe, half brandy, half crème de menthe, may be the thing for you.

I’m going to have to punt a bit on this Mixology Monday. I didn’t get around to experimenting with anise or to shopping for some true French pastis, so I don’t have much more to add from my recent post on anise liqueur. In general, I’m still learning to acquire the taste. To that end, I find that citrus helps cut the sugary sweetness. A lot. If you can’t find the limon dulce I referenced before, here’s a simple drink to make with readily available ingredients:

Anise Rickey

1 jigger anise liqueur (I used ouzo)
juice of one lime
Club soda

Fill highball glass with ice. Squeeze in lime and add liqueur. Top with club soda and garnish with lime wedge.

Unorthodox maybe, but not bad. I’m more eager, however, to try the more exciting offerings of the fellow mixologists. And that Henri Bardouin sounds amazing, even if I am a sucker for Ricard’s image and packaging.