The Last Word: A Cocktail That Refuses to Stay Forgotten 🍸✨
Sophia
Updated 05/08/2025
Introduction ✨
The Last Word is a cocktail that truly deserves the final say in any cocktail conversation. This brilliant green libation offers a perfect balance of sweet, sour, herbal, and spirituous flavors that dance across your palate with remarkable harmony. The Last Word is both sophisticated and approachable, a cocktail that whispers of Prohibition-era speakeasies while shouting its relevance to modern craft cocktail enthusiasts.
A Brief History of The Last Word Cocktail 🕵️♂️
Originally created at the Detroit Athletic Club around 1915, The Last Word had its moment in the spotlight before Prohibition cast a shadow over America's drinking culture. The cocktail was first documented in Ted Saucier's 1951 cocktail book "Bottoms Up," but then mysteriously vanished from bar menus for decades.
Fast forward to 2004, when Seattle bartender Murray Stenson rediscovered this forgotten classic while flipping through Saucier's dusty tome. Stenson added it to the menu at the Zig Zag Café, and just like that, The Last Word spoke again. Suddenly, everyone wanted a sip of this "zombie" cocktail, proof that good taste never dies.
The Last Word Cocktail Recipe 🧙♂️
Ingredients
| Ingredient | Measurement |
|---|---|
| Gin | ¾ oz |
| Green Chartreuse | ¾ oz |
| Maraschino Liqueur | ¾ oz |
| Fresh Lime Juice | ¾ oz |
| Ice | As needed |
| Garnish (optional) | Lime wheel or Brandied Cherry |
How to Make The Last Word Cocktail
- Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker filled with ice.
- Shake vigorously until well-chilled.
- Strain into a chilled cocktail glass.
- Garnish with a brandied cherry, if desired.
Decoding the Classic Charm of the Last Word 🧩
The Last Word's allure lies in its harmonious blend of flavors: the botanical notes of gin, the herbal complexity of Green Chartreuse, the sweet nuttiness of maraschino liqueur, and the zesty brightness of lime juice. all in perfect harmony. It's like a bar brawl that ends in a group hug
Fun Facts to Impress Your Friends 🤯
- Equal Parts Elegance: The Last Word is part of a family of cocktails known for their equal-parts composition, making it deceptively easy to remember, even after you've had one too many.
- Name origins: Some say the cocktail got its name because after drinking it, you're so impressed you have nothing else to say.
- Monk business: Green Chartreuse is made by Carthusian monks using a secret formula of 130 herbs, plants, and flowers. So technically, every time you drink a Last Word, you're supporting monastic tradition. Feel free to use that as justification.
Variations of the Last Word cocktail 👩🍳
- Paper Plane: A modern classic invented by Sam Ross. It uses the same equal parts structure but changes the profile completely.
- Final Ward cocktail: A well known riff that swaps gin for rye whiskey and lime for lemon, keeping the equal parts spirit but shifting into spicier territory.
- Naked and Famous cocktail: A cousin that typically uses mezcal, yellow Chartreuse, an Italian red aperitivo, and lime for a smoky, bright, bittersweet profile.
- Closing Argument cocktail: A mezcal based take that keeps the equal parts blueprint and makes the case with smoke.
- Division Bell cocktail: Often built with mezcal, maraschino, lime, and an Italian red aperitivo, giving you smoke plus bittersweet energy.
Frequently Asked Questions About the Last Word cocktail(FAQs) 🕵️
1. What does the Last Word cocktail taste like?
It tastes bright and tart up front, then turns herbal and complex, with a cherry like floral finish that stays elegant rather than sugary.
2. Is the Last Word a strong cocktail?
Yes, the Last Word is a strong cocktail. It is served up and built from full strength spirits and liqueurs. The lime juice provides some dilution, but this remains a potent cocktail.
3. What gin works best in the Last Word cocktail?
A London dry style gin is a common pick because its juniper backbone stands up to Chartreuse and maraschino without getting lost.
4. I cannot find Green Chartreuse for the Last Word cocktail. Is there a substitute?
This is a common struggle. Green Chartreuse is often in short supply. You can try other herbal liqueurs like Dolin Génépy or Boomsma Cloosterbitter. They get you close to the flavor profile, though nothing quite matches the intensity of the original monk made elixir.
5. Should I use bottled lime juice for the Last Word cocktail?
Fresh lime juice is strongly recommended. The drink's structure is tight, and bottled lime juice can make it taste flat or harsh.
6. Why is it called the Last Word?
The origins of the name are hazy. Some say it is because one sip leaves you speechless. Others suggest it was named after Frank Fogarty's closing monologue in his act. Either way, if you order one, you are likely to have a great night.
7. Can I use Yellow Chartreuse instead of Green Chartreuse for the Last Word cocktail?
You can, but the drink will be different. Yellow Chartreuse is milder, sweeter, and lower in alcohol. The cocktail will be softer and honeyed rather than sharp and herbal. It is delicious but technically not a classic Last Word.
8. What's the best garnish for the Last Word cocktail?
A simple lime wheel is the most common garnish, complementing the lime juice in the drink. Some bartenders prefer a brandied cherry, which echoes the maraschino liqueur. A few bars skip garnish entirely, letting the pale green liquid speak for itself.
References:
[1]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Last_Word_%28cocktail%29
[2]: https://www.washingtonpost.com/food/2025/05/30/chartreuse-alternatives-recommendations/
[3]: https://www.seriouseats.com/cocktails-the-last-word
[4]: https://punchdrink.com/recipes/last-word/
