The Last Word is one of my favorite cocktails from the Prohibition era. Made with gin, green chartreuse, maraschino liqueur and fresh lime juice, this recipe will leave you speechless. This equal parts cocktail creates the perfect balance of sweet, sour and herbaceous flavors.
Related: Aeronautical Cocktail, Paper airplane cocktail, Manhattan, Rusty Nail, Espresso Martini, Boulevardier, Negroni Sbagliato.
Ingredients in The Last Word
- Gin – Choose a quality, mid-priced gin.
- Green Chartreuse – A light green liqueur made from macerated herbs and plants.
- Maraschino liqueur – Adds sweetness and flavor.
- Lime Juice – Creates a sweet and sour balance.
- Maraschino cherry – We used a Luxardo cherry (optional)
The Best Glassware Option for The Last Word is Chilled Glassware cut glass.
Instructions
Add the gin, green chartreuse, maraschino liqueur and lime juice to a cocktail shaker with ice and shake for 10 to 15 seconds, until ice-cold.
Strain into a chilled coupe glass.
Garnish with a maraschino cherry, brandy cherry or lime zest.
History
The Last Word was born at the Detroit Athletic Club in 1915. Created just before the start of Prohibition by bartender Frank Fogarty, it is one of the most successful cocktails of the Prohibition era. The Last Word was documented in Ted Saucier’s 1951 book, “Bottoms Up.” After that, it fell out of fashion and was not widely known or present on many menus for decades.
In the early 2000s, there was a huge resurgence of pre-Prohibition drinks (remember the years when every bar had Edison light bulbs and every bartender wore suspenders?). Murray Stenson of Seattle’s Zig Zag Café rediscovered this recipe in the 1951 book and began serving it. As the renaissance of classic cocktails continued, this recipe once again became a menu staple! This drink has an ideal balance of sweet, sour and herbaceous flavors that I love. If you haven’t tried it, we highly recommend it.
What is Green Chartreuse?
Green Chartreuse is an herbal liqueur made by monks in a monastery just north of Grenoble, France. The recipe for the 130 herbs and botanicals infused for this high-proof liqueur is a secret recipe, originally commissioned by King Henry IV. In recent years, this bright green liquor has become rare and difficult to find. I ended up buying a bottle online after trying all my local liquor stores. The reason this liqueur is difficult to find is that in 2021, the Carthusian monks decided to limit the production of Chartreuse. As they produce less, prices have increased and if you find bottles for sale, we recommend purchasing one.
Other cocktails you can mix with Green Chartreuse include the Fernet Sour, the Bijou, the Naked and Famous, and the Lumier.
Tips for making
- With several ingredients not available at most liquor stores, you may be wondering about substitutions. My honest opinion is that you should wait until you have the right ingredients to try this recipe. If you absolutely must replace Green Chartreuse, we recommend Izarra, a Basque herbal liqueur. If you want something similar with easier to find bottles, try this Paper airplane cocktail. It was born from a spin-off of The Last Word. It’s also very tasty!
- Fresh lime juice is essential to this recipe: don’t skip it.
- The Last Word makes a great signature cocktail for a dinner or special event. It’s sophisticated, complex and has a lot of history behind it.
More gin drinks
FAQs
Frequently asked questions
What does the Last Word cocktail taste like?
The Last Word is a magical combination of gin, Chartreuse, maraschino liqueur and lime juice. The flavor is a complex blend of sweet, bitter and herbaceous flavors. It’s balanced and delicious!
What is the best gin for the Last Word cocktail recipe?
Some popular options are Tanqueray No. 10, Sipsmith London Dry Gin, Broker’s London Dry Gin, and Bombay Sapphire. These gins feature strong juniper notes, making them a great choice for this recipe.
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Get the recipe
Learn how to make the classic Last Word cocktail using gin, Green Chartreuse, maraschino liqueur and fresh lime juice.
Instructions
-
Add the gin, green chartreuse, maraschino liqueur and lime juice to a cocktail shaker with ice and shake for 10 to 15 seconds, until ice-cold.
-
Strain into a chilled coupe glass.
-
Garnish with a maraschino cherry, brandy cherry or lime zest.
Remarks
- With several ingredients not available at most liquor stores, you may be wondering about substitutions. My honest opinion is that you should wait until you have the right ingredients to try this recipe. If you absolutely must replace Green Chartreuse, we recommend Izarra, a Basque herbal liqueur. If you want something similar with easier to find bottles, try this Paper airplane cocktail. It was born from a spin-off of The Last Word. It’s also very tasty!
- Fresh lime juice is essential to this recipe: don’t skip it.
- The Last Word makes a great signature cocktail for a dinner or special event. It’s sophisticated, complex and has a lot of history behind it.
Nutrition
Nutritional intake
Last word cocktail
Amount per serving
% Daily Value*
*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
Note: Nutrition is calculated automatically using Spoonacular, for your convenience. Where applicable, we recommend using your own nutritional calculations.