One of my favorites, it’s the Last Word:

  • 0.75 ounce Beefeater London Dry Gin
  • 0.75 ounce Green Chartreuse
  • 0.75 ounce Luxardo Maraschino Liqueur
  • 0.75 ounce lime juice

Shake all ingredients with ice, then strain into a coupe. No garnish.

This is one of my go-to cocktails, and I’m surprised it wasn’t included in Dr. Cocktail’s book. It is vintage, having been invented in Detroit in the 1920s, and it was forgotten for many years.

I was introduced to it by my cocktail chef friend Justin, who brought it up when I was talking about another favorite, the Golden Dawn. My preferred recipe for the Golden Dawn involves equal proportions of ingredients, and the Last Word also uses equal proportions, making it easy to remember. I’m seeing it offered in more bars, including the menu at Dry Martini in Barcelona. This recipe comes from the excellent Death & Co. book.

It’s hard to pin down exactly why this cocktail works. It’s slightly sweet, but that is balanced by the herbal nature of the Chartreuse. If cocktails could be comfort food, this would be mine.

Rating: 5/5

Last Word