The Last Word | Four Ingredients in Perfect Balance

The Last Word is a cocktail with a recipe that’s easy to remember: gin, green Chartreuse, Maraschino liqueur, and fresh lime juice, in equal parts. Four ingredients, one simple ratio. In the video, I make the drink, delve into its history, and taste the result.

Equal Parts, Even When Sizes Change

The recipe here uses 22.5 ml of each ingredient. These are also the amounts in the IBA's recipe. Before the ice does its job, this gives 90 ml in the shaker. During the video, I consider using 20 ml of each to simplify the measurement. The important thing is that all four get the same amount: 20 ml of each gives a smaller drink with the same ratio of ingredients.

It’s a useful recipe to keep in mind when your measuring cup doesn’t have exactly the marking you’re looking for. Choose one measurement and use it throughout the drink. You don’t need to change the balance to fit the size of the glass.

Four Ingredients with Distinct Character

Gin forms the base, while green Chartreuse provides the herbal note that makes this cocktail so distinctive. The Maraschino liqueur adds sweetness and cherry character, and fresh lime juice brings the acidity. No simple syrup or extra ingredients are included in this recipe.

It’s green Chartreuse that’s used here. Yellow Chartreuse is not an ingredient in this drink, although I become curious about finding another cocktail with it along the way. In the video, I also mention that green Chartreuse can be hard to come by. If you already have it in your bar, this is a recipe where it takes a prominent place.

From Detroit to Seattle

The story I tell in the film is based on the Detroit Athletic Club and a menu from 1916. I also mention the cocktail book Bottoms Up! from 1951 and entertainer Frank Fogarty, who has been linked to the drink. This doesn’t mean we know he created it, and I also touch on that uncertainty in the video.

Later, the cocktail was rediscovered by bartender Murray Stenson at Zig Zag Café in Seattle in the early 2000s. The story provides some background to what might otherwise seem like a very simple mix in a glass.

Chilled Glass and Double Straining

I start by chilling the cocktail glass. The ingredients are measured in the shaker before the ice is added, and the drink is shaken well. Then the ice is emptied from the glass, and the cocktail is double strained.

A standard bar strainer and a fine strainer are used together for double straining. This helps keep small ice chips and fruit pulp back. The serving is simple: a chilled glass, without ice and without garnish. In the video, I first wonder what to garnish with before I see that the drink should be served without garnish.

Tasting and a Relaxed Friday Evening

The flavor profile is described as tart, sweet, and complex, and after tasting, I agree with that. My reaction is clear: I like this. The Last Word becomes the cocktail I take into my Friday evening.

Towards the end, the conversation also shifts to the difference between being alone and being lonely. It becomes a personal conclusion to a video that starts with four ingredients and an attempt to be a bit structured in a cluttered workshop. The entire preparation, tasting, and conversation can be found in the film.

Serving Tips

Use a chilled cocktail glass, such as a Nick & Nora glass or a coupe. The cocktail is shaken with ice but served without ice and without garnish. Drink responsibly.