The Last Word cocktail is a Prohibition-era cocktail that has stood the test of time. With a balanced blend of gin, green Chartreuse, maraschino liqueur, and lime juice, this drink offers a harmony of flavors that you won’t want to miss.
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Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Balanced flavor: It offers a harmonious blend of herbal, sweet, and sour notes, making it complex yet well-balanced.
- Easy: The classic recipe uses equal parts of each ingredient, it’s straightforward to prepare with no intricate measurements needed.
- Unique Ingredients: The inclusion of green Chartreuse and maraschino liqueur sets it apart from more common gin cocktails, offering a distinct taste experience.
What is a Last Word Cocktail?
It is a classic cocktail originating from the Prohibition era. The gin provides the juniper-forward flavor, the green Chartreuse adds a herbal and slightly sweet flavor, the maraschino liqueur adds a sweetness and cherry flavor, and the lime juice adds a tartness and acidity. The combination results in a harmonious mix of herbal, sweet, and sour notes, making it a unique cocktail choice.
The Last Word first appeared on a Detroit Athletic Club souvenir menu as early as 1916. According to Ted Saucier’s 1951 cocktail book, Bottoms Up!, Frank Fogarty is credited with introducing the drink to New York City in the early 1920s. It fell out of popularity during the Great Depression and World War II.
However, it was revived in the early 2000s by Murray Stenson, a bartender at Seattle’s Zig Zag Café. Stenson rediscovered the Last Word in Saucier’s book. He began serving the cocktail at the Zig Zag Café, and the Last Word cocktail is now a popular drink served at top cocktail bars around the globe.
Other variations of the Last Word cocktail recipe have cropped up over the years, including one of my favorites, the Paper Plane cocktail. Other notable variations include the Final Word and Division Bell cocktails.
Ingredient Notes
Gin: Use your favorite gin variety for this drink. I used Mermaid Zest Gin. Another one of my favorite gins for a Last Word is Teasmith Gin.
Green Chartreuse: This herbal liqueur has a complex flavor with notes of herbs, spices, and honey. It is a key ingredient in many classic cocktails, including the Last Word.
Maraschino Liqueur: Made from Marasca cherries, this clear liqueur adds a nuanced sweetness without overwhelming the drink. I always go for the Luxardo Maraschino liqueur.
Lime Juice: As always, use fresh lime juice over bottled for the best flavor. The lime juice introduces a tangy acidity, balancing the sweetness and herbal notes, making the drink refreshingly complete.
Garnishes: I used a Luxardo cherry as a garnish, but a lime wheel or lime twist are both great options as well.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Add the gin and green Chartreuse to a cocktail shaker.
Step 2: Then, add the maraschino liqueur and lime juice to the shaker.
Step 3: Add ice cubes and shake until well chilled. Strain into a cocktail glass, preferably a chilled coupe glass. (I used my Viski Gatsby coupe glasses – which are one of my favs!)
Step 4: Garnish with a cocktail cherry, if desired.
Expert Tips + Variations
- Use high-quality ingredients. The Last Word is a simple cocktail and very spirit-forward. If you use poor-quality ingredients, you will definitely taste it.
- If you don’t have green Chartreuse, you can substitute yellow Chartreuse.
- If you want a sweeter cocktail, you can add a little bit of simple syrup.
FAQ
Maraschino liqueur is a sweet liqueur made from marasca cherries. It has a complex flavor with notes of cherry, almond, and vanilla.
Maraschino liqueur is a versatile ingredient that can be used in a variety of cocktails and desserts. It can be used to add a cherry flavor to cocktails, or it can be used to make syrups and other flavorings for desserts.
Chartreuse is a French herbal liqueur made with over 130 different herbs by Carthusian monks in the Chartreuse Mountains. It has a complex flavor with notes of herbs, spices, and honey. Chartreuse is available in two varieties: green Chartreuse and yellow Chartreuse.
Green Chartreuse is the more popular variety, and it has a stronger herbal flavor than yellow Chartreuse. Yellow Chartreuse has a sweeter and more mellow flavor. It is also less alcoholic than green Chartreuse.
The best gin for a Last Word cocktail often depends on personal preference, but a London Dry Gin is commonly recommended for its crisp, clean profile that complements the complexity of the other ingredients. Brands like Tanqueray or Bombay Sapphire are solid choices.
Ultimately, the best gin for a Last Word cocktail is the one that you like the best. Experiment with different gins to find the one that you think tastes best in the cocktail.
Luxardo cherries are often considered worth the investment for their rich, authentic flavor and dense texture. In my opinion, they are definitely worth it.
However, if you are on a budget, there are other brands of high-quality cocktail cherries, such as Amarena Fabbri Wild Cherries, that generally cost a bit less.
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📖 Recipe
Last Word Cocktail Recipe
Ingredients
- ¾ ounce gin
- ¾ ounce green chartreuse
- ¾ ounce maraschino liqueur
- ¾ ounce lime juice
- Maraschino cocktail cherry, for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Add the gin, chartreuse, maraschino liqueur, and lime juice to a cocktail shaker.
- Add ice and shake until well chilled.
- Strain into a cocktail glass and garnish with a maraschino cocktail cherry.
Notes
- Use high-quality ingredients. It’s simple cocktail and very spirit-forward. If you use poor-quality ingredients, you will definitely taste it.
- If you don’t have green Chartreuse, you can substitute yellow Chartreuse.
- If you want a sweeter drink, you can add a little bit of simple syrup.
Nutrition
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