Last Word
Last Word is an official IBA cocktail from the prohibition-era. It’s a strong cocktail in both proof and taste but the perfect balance between the four ingredients makes this cocktail a delicious treat.
Last Word contains two of the most iconic and popular liqueurs in the cocktail world, Green Chartreuse and Maraschino Liqueur, so investing in the ingredients for this cocktail will definitely improve the general selection of cocktails that you will have available in your home bar.
The bright green color makes this cocktail visually intriguing, making it a treat for the eyes as well as the taste buds.
Ingredients
Gin
Any Gin will do, but this cocktail has plenty of stuff going on already, so we like to keep it simple with a London Dry. We recommend Beefeater.
22.5 ml
Herbal Liqueur
No other liqueur can accurately substitute Chartreuse in this cocktail.
22.5 ml
Maraschino Liqueur
We recommend Luxardo Maraschino Originale.
22.5 ml
Lime Juice
Freshly squeezed.
22.5 ml
Maraschino Cherry (Garnish)
1 or 2 on a cocktail skewer.
2 pieces
Method
Step 1: Cool your serving glass
This is a no-ice cocktail, so it is important to cool the serving glass beforehand. Put it in the freezer or add in some ice cubes to chill it while mixing the cocktail. Use a Nick & Nora glass, a Martini glass, or a Champagne coupe.
Step 2: Add ingredients to shaker
Add all the ingredients to a cocktail shaker. Add plenty of ice.
Step 3: Shake for 8-12 seconds
Shake the cocktail vigorously for 8 to 12 seconds until the tin becomes frosty on the outside.
Step 4: Fine-strain into glass
Pour the cocktail through a fine strainer, to remove any lime pulp, and into the chilled serving glass without ice.
Step 5: Garnish with Maraschino cherry
Garnish the cocktail with 1 or 2 Maraschino cherries on a cocktail skewer.
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Ingredient #1
Gin
Citadelle Original
Ingredient #2
Herbal Liqueur
Green Chartreuse
Ingredient #3
Maraschino Liqueur
Luxardo Maraschino Originale
Flavor profile
The brilliant thing about this cocktail is how it manages to integrate the strong herbal taste of the Chartreuse. Being an equal parts cocktail, it’s no small amount of Chartreuse that goes in, but somehow the other ingredients perfectly mask the medicinal taste you would otherwise expect and what you’re left with is a wonderful herbal undertone. This undertone is brilliantly supported by the floral qualities of the Gin and, together with the perfect sweet/sour balance from the Maraschino and lime, this cocktail delivers something extraordinary.
History
Last Word is a prohibition-era cocktail, originally served at the Detroit Athletic Club in the 1920s. The first publication to mention the cocktail is Ted Saucier’s cocktail book Bottoms Up! from 1951.
From the time it was served at the Athletic Club and up until it was mentioned in Saucier’s Bottoms Up!, the cocktail had just disappeared from the map and nobody heard about it for years.
It wasn’t until 2004 that the cocktail was rediscovered, when Murray Stenson found an old edition of Saucier’s book. He then started serving it at the Zig Zag Cafe in Seattle where it quickly became a hit. Since then, the cocktail has become a staple at many bars as well as an IBA official and it is widely considered an all-time classic!