Directions
The Last Word cocktail is a historic drink, one of the great drinks that managed to survive Prohibition. There is no official recipe, it is a very malleable cocktail, however the classic recipe of Last Word is linear: ¼ of gin, ¼ of maraschino, ¼ of green Chartreuse, ¼ of lime juice. Translated into cl you can use 3 cl of each ingredient and the cocktail is ready, even if 3 cl of maraschino in a cocktail is an exaggeration, even for a resinous, tannic and herbaceous cocktail like the Last Word. 2 cl of maraschino is more than enough.
History of the Last Word cocktail
It is said that the cocktail was invented before Prohibition and then depopulated in American speakeasies throughout the obscurantist period of mixology. There is no supporting evidence or original recipes for the Last Word cocktail, if not a quote from Ted Saucier, who in his cookbook called Bottoms Up gives us the first written recipe. However, the good Ted tells us that the cocktail was born around 1920 in the Detroit Athletic Club at the hands of the histrionic Frank Fogarty and that it has enjoyed incredible popularity with the public ever since.
To date there are dozens of twists of the Last Word cocktail, just choose a particular gin, vary the doses or add bitters or use genepì or other spirits and the cocktail literally changes face. Start with the classic recipe and then experiment a little with the doses.
The Last Word cocktail has a high alcohol content and is strong and grumpy, even on the palate it hits hard: it is full of pungent, herbaceous and angular flavors and aromas. Don’t expect a smooth and docile drink, quite the opposite. Despite being elegant, he has a contemptuous air and goes straight on his way.
Ingredients and doses to make the Last Word cocktail
- 3 cl of gin
- 3 cl of green Chartreuse
- 3 cl of lime juice
- 2 cl of maraschino
How to make the Last Word cocktail
Squeeze the lime and strain the juice.
Put the lime juice, the green Chartreuse, the gin and the maraschino in the shaker with ice, shake for 10 seconds and pour, filtering into a well-cooled cup.
