Last
Word

Gin, green Chartreuse, maraschino liqueur and fresh lime juice each go in at exactly 2 cl. That makes the recipe memorable and unforgiving at the same time, because no ingredient can compensate for a measuring error. Half a centiliter too much Chartreuse and the herbs overwhelm everything; half a centiliter too much maraschino and the whole drink becomes sticky-sweet. Use a jigger and do not pour by feel. Then shake vigorously with plenty of ice for 15 seconds, and double-straining prevents ice chips from ending up in the glass.

Despite the modest 8 cl in the shaker, you end up with approximately 23 percent alcohol. Green Chartreuse at 55 percent is the strongest of the group, gin contributes 40 percent and maraschino about 32 percent, together amounting to more than 2.5 cl of pure alcohol. Shaking adds about 30 percent water, bringing the drink to 11 cl. That is approximately two standard drinks in a cocktail you finish in five sips. The lime and sweet maraschino almost completely conceal that strength, so stick to one or two.

The four-equal-parts template can be varied endlessly, and three variations have become classics. The Final Ward replaces gin with rye whiskey and lime with lemon, producing a spicier, warmer drink. The Naked and Famous uses mezcal, yellow Chartreuse and Aperol instead of gin, green Chartreuse and maraschino, and is smoky and bittersweet. The Last of the Oaxacans keeps everything else the same but puts mezcal in the gin position. In every case, the amount remains 2 cl per ingredient and the drink is shaken for 15 seconds.

Green Chartreuse has been made by Carthusian monks since 1737 using 130 herbs and contains 55 percent alcohol. In 2023, the order decided not to increase production further, making bottles scarce and expensive, and in the Netherlands you can quickly end up paying sixty euros or more for 70 cl. Yellow Chartreuse at 40 percent is softer and more honey-sweet and works perfectly well, although you lose the herbal sharpness. Génépy des Alpes comes reasonably close at a third of the price. Maraschino, incidentally, is not cherry syrup but a dry liqueur at 32 percent.

Gin gets only 2 cl of room in the Last Word cocktail, alongside a herbal liqueur at 55 percent and a dry cherry liqueur. A neutral, soft gin disappears among them, so choose a classic London Dry with assertive juniper; it keeps the Chartreuse in check and steers the whole drink toward dry. Strongly floral or heavily flavored gins add a fifth flavor direction and make the glass feel unsettled. For the maraschino, Luxardo is the usual reference; with another bottle, check that it contains liqueur rather than cherry syrup.

In English-language menus, it appears as The Last Word cocktail, and it is best enjoyed as an aperitif: small, cold, and sharp enough to stimulate the appetite. Put the glass in the freezer for fifteen minutes, because in a 14 to 16 cl glass without ice, the starting temperature determines how long it stays cold. Juice the lime just before shaking; juice that has been sitting for an hour loses its fresh aroma and makes the cocktail flat. A cherry complements the sweet side, while lime zest emphasizes the acidity.