flashbang

2 oz Overproof Cognac (Pierre Ferrand 1840)
1/2 oz Branca Menta
1/2 oz Benedictine

Shake with ice and strain into a coupe. I surmise that it is shaken as a nod to the Stinger. Two Mondays ago, I delved into my Food & Wine: Cocktails book collection and came across the Flashbang in the 2016 edition. The recipe was created by Donny Clutterbuck at Cure in Rochester, and I assumed that it was a riff on the Stinger since it was brandy-based, contained an ingredient that was minty, and was shaken even though it lacked citrus or dairy. Therefore, I decided to mix up this one and make a note to whip up a proper Stinger for the blog in the near future. Once prepared, it exploded on the nose with Cognac, herbal, and mint aromas. Next, a caramel sip crashed into Cognac, menthol, and gentian flavors on the swallow with a mint finish.