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Cocktail History
The Midnight Stinger is a a modern cocktail that was created by Sam Ross of Attaboy in New York City, New York. It’s a variation of the iconic Stinger that turns the original into a Whiskey Sour by substituting whiskey in place of the classic brandy and adding citrus juice, sugar, and the bitter amaro Fernet-Branca.
Cocktail Ingredients
To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following ingredients:
Rye: This is a type of whiskey made with at least 51% rye grain, malted barley, corn, and water. I used Bespoken Spirits 100-Proof Rye Whiskey.
Fernet-Branca: This is an amaro made in Italy with gentian, aloe, herbs, spices, sugar, and alcohol.
Lemon Juice: This is the liquid juice of a lemon. I used freshly squeezed lemon juice.
Simple Syrup: This is a sweetener made with white sugar and water. I made mine using this stovetop recipe.
Mint Sprig: This is an herb. I used Mojito mint.
Bartending Tools
To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following bar tools:
Jigger: This is used to measure and pour ingredients. I used the Japanese jigger from the A Bar Above 14-Piece Silver Bar Set.
Boston Shaker: This is used to shake ingredients. I used the Boston shaker from the A Bar Above 14-Piece Silver Bar Set.
Hawthorne Strainer: This is used to strain out ice and solid ingredients after the cocktail is shaken. I used the A Bar Above Hawthorne Strainer.
Paring Knife: This is used to cut ingredients. I used the OXO Good Grips 3.5 Inch Paring Knife.
Juicer: This is used to juice citrus. I used the ALEEHAI Manual Fruit Juicer.
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Tasting Notes
This cocktail has the following flavor profile:
• Appearance: Golden brown color
• Aroma: Mint and spices
• Taste: Citrus-forward flavor featuring rye’s spiciness and bitter amaro
• Finish: Sweetness with a hint of mint
Kendall’s Rating: ⭐⭐⭐
Kendall’s Take: “It’s been a long time since I tried the original Stinger, so I don’t really remember much about it other than that it was simple to make. Although meant to be a variation of the classic, this cocktail is quite different since it’s made with whiskey instead of brandy and omits crème de menthe altogether. I do believe I prefer this one even with the added bitterness of Fernet-Branca though. I also made a version with Fernet-Branca Menta so it would be more similar to the original Stinger, but I personally found it to be too minty and liked the true Midnight Stinger a bit more. It’s quite balanced and tastes like rye with a hint of mint. I would drink this again.”
Recipe
This cocktail recipe was adapted from Winter Drinks: 70 Essential Cold-Weather Cocktails by the editors of PUNCH.
This post contains affiliate links, meaning we make a small commission each time you purchase a product using our links. Product images sourced from Amazon Product Advertising API. Amazon affiliate links last updated on 2025-01-15.
Midnight Stinger
The Midnight Stinger is a a modern cocktail that was created by Sam Ross of Attaboy in New York City, New York. It's a variation of the iconic Stinger that turns the original into a Whiskey Sour by substituting whiskey in place of the classic brandy and adding citrus juice, sugar, and the bitter amaro Fernet-Branca.
Ingredients
Method
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Add whiskey, Fernet-Branca, lemon juice, simple syrup, and cubed ice to a shaker.
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Shake for 10-20 seconds.
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Strain into a lowball glass over fresh crushed ice.
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Garnish with mint sprig.
