The Last Word a cocktail for a bygone era that is still a classic today. Gin, Green Chartreuse, Maraschino and lime, Topped with a Luxurious Luxardo Maraschino Cherry.
The Last word is a prohibition-era cocktail that has had a recent resurgence due to interest in the history of that time by modern bartenders. I think it definitely deserves its reputation as a fantastic gin cocktail. Several cocktails were invented in the era of the speakeasy. Socialites would be sipping luxurious cocktails in classic coupe glasses in dark smoky bars hidden in the back of buildings all over the country. I have done a great post about the Bees Knees a bit ago and have wanted to make others from that secret prohibition bar culture.
The history of the Last Word is it got its origins before the prohibition era in the Detroit Athletic Club’s bar. The very delicious drink has showed up on a souvenir menu for the bar in 1916. Frank Fogarty, known as The Dublin Minstrel, a popular vaudeville performer in the years before World War I, the legend says, helped spread the cocktail to New York and beyond just before prohibition began. The cocktail was served all through prohibition in many speakeasies and hidden bars throughout the country. The cocktail continued it’s popularity until the mid-1950s, even getting a mention in Bottoms Up book by author Ted Saucier. Though Saucier incorrectly called The Last Word as a cocktail that was invented during the Prohibition era. It then, like so many classic old cocktails from that time, fell out of favor. Probably partially as some of the liquors were hard to find for many years in the mid 20th century. And cocktails such as the martini became all the rage.
A few bartenders in the Seattle area, early in the 2000s, decided to do some research and try and bring back several prohibition cocktails. The ran across The Last Word mentioned in Ted Saucier’s book, they made a few cocktails, and it instantly became a hit. Made with equal parts of Green Chartreuse, Maraschino liquor, gin, and fresh lime juice. It is a well-balanced cocktail that is refreshing and yet rich and sophisticated. The Maraschino cherry also adds to the tasty deliciousness.
I have been hesitant to make this cocktail even though I had bought a bottle of Maraschino liquor for some time. I have this dislike from my childhood of those red candied cherries. My beloved grandmother would put them in her cinnamon rolls (yes in cinnamon rolls, why?) and her popcorn balls. I disliked them very much even though, of course, I would eat them with a smile as I love my grandmother more than anything. One of the main ingredients is maraschino liquor, and it is topped with a cherry. I thought it would taste like those cherries from my childhood. Someone had even gifted me a jar of Luxardo Maraschino cherries, and I still hesitated. OK, I was very wrong! The cherry in the liquor and the cherries taste so much better, I actually really love them.
This cocktail is absolutely worth the effort to gather the ingredients. I was lucky during this time to have everything I needed. But you can find both the liqueurs in most liquor stores. I used my favorite Spring44 gin, You can substitute several different gins, I liked it tons with Spring44’s old tom gin and empress 1908 gin too. The Luxardo Cherries are definitely worth the effort and price to get. Luxardo cherries are not cheap, but they last a long time in the fridge and worth every penny. (you can easily find them here on Amazon, I get a small tiny commission if you use the links to any Amazon ad on this site) I feel they actually make this cocktail what it is. The Last Word has become one of my favorite cocktails, and when I can, I will be serving many of them to my friends.
- ¾ oz Spring44 gin other gins to try an Old Tom gin, empress 1908 gin or Spring44 mountain gin are great too
- ¾ oz Green Chartreuse
- ¾ oz Maraschino liquor
- ¾ oz fresh lime juice
- 1-3 Luxardo Maraschino cherry
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Chill a coupe glass in the fridge for a bit to get really cold, or in the freezer, if you are in a pinch, you can fill the glass with ice to cool it down quickly
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Combine the gin, Green Chartreuse, Maraschino, and lime juice in a cocktail shaker.
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Fill the shaker with ice.
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Shave vigorously for 10 seconds or so to get the cocktail very cold, the shaker should be very frosty.
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Pour into the chilled coupe glass and garnish with the cherry, traditionally it is one cherry, But 3 on a cocktail pick is fun too. You can also let a single cherry sink to the bottom of the glass as a prize at the end.
Note sometimes, in a few versions of this cocktail, they have added a splash of soda water I did not.
