How to Make the Last Word – A Classic Strong Gin Cocktail

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The Last Word captivates cocktail enthusiasts and casual drinkers alike with its beautifully balanced classic cocktail rooted in the 1920s, rich history, and delightful taste. A medley of citrus and herbal flavors, including the bright notes of fresh lime and the sophisticated complexity of green Chartreuse, combines with dry gin to create a beverage that remains both complex yet approachable, making it a perfect choice for various occasions. Best of all, anyone can easily craft this timeless drink with just four ingredients in equal parts, requiring minimal effort. Whether you host a festive gathering or enjoy a quiet evening at home, adding this spectacular cocktail to your menu will impress everyone. Its vibrant profile and refreshing qualities ensure that you won’t just have one; instead, you’ll likely return for another round, reveling in the exquisite harmony of flavors that The Last Word offers with each sip.

What is the Last Word Cocktail?

The Last Word was invented just before prohibition. Believe it or not it has it origins in an unlikely place – The Detroit Athletic Club. Where they sold them for 35 cents a go back in 1916 making it the most expensive drink on the menu! The drink gained notoriety when a performer by the name of Frank Fogarty introduced it to his audience in New York. Unfortunately, after the second world war the cocktail disappeared for a long time until it’s rediscovery in 2003.

A bartender in Seattle named Murray Stenson discovered the recipe in Ted Sauciers book ‘Bottoms Up’. He then added it to the menu at Zig Zag Cafe, where it became a hit all over again. The drink quickly gained popularity across the United States, and today it is recognized as a modern-day cult classic cocktail, appearing on menus around the globe.

How to Make the Last Word Cocktail

To make the Last Word you will only need four ingredients, a dry gin, Green Chartreuse, Maraschino liquor and fresh lime juice.

Let’s start with the gin. You want something dry with a balanced flavour profile. There is no need for fancy botanical as these will be engulfed by the Chartreuse. As long as the gin compliments the herbal, citrusy and sweet notes of the drink you will be good to go. I recommend using one of the following:

• No.3 London Dry Gin
• Tanqueray No.10
• Plymouth Gin
• Bombay Sapphire

Now on to the Chartreuse. This herbal liquor originates from the French Alps, where monks craft it. They dated the recipe for Green Chartreuse back to 1605, and they began commercial production about 100 years later. It comprises 130 different plants, herbs, and flowers, but they keep the exact recipe a secret.

Next is Maraschino liqueur, a Croatian delight made from sour cherries known as Marasca cherries. Producers crush and ferment the cherries before distilling and aging the resulting spirit in oak barrels. Unlike most cherry liqueurs, Maraschino offers a dry profile instead of sweetness and features both cherry and almond flavors. The top brand is Luxardo Maraschino.

Finally, for our citrus you need some lime juice. Make sure you are using fresh and if you want to know why you can find out here.

The Recipe

Now it is time to grab your cocktail equipment and make your very own Last Word.