Last Word
intro
A bright, perfectly balanced Prohibition-era gin cocktail with equal parts herbal Chartreuse, nutty maraschino, and tart fresh lime, served ice-cold in a frosted glass.
Ingredients
Steps
Prep serving glassware
Place 2 coupe or Nick & Nora glasses in the freezer for 3 minutes to develop a light frost; if you do not have freezer space, fill each glass with 1 cup of ice water and set aside to quick-chill while you prep ingredients.
Squeeze fresh lime juice
Roll 1.5 medium limes firmly on a cutting board for 10 seconds each to break down internal pulp, then cut in half and squeeze to collect exactly 45 ml (3 tablespoons) of juice, straining out seeds and large pulp bits with a small fine-mesh sieve.
Measure core ingredients
Add the measured 45 ml London Dry Gin, 45 ml Green Chartreuse, 45 ml maraschino liqueur, and strained 45 ml fresh lime juice to the base of a cocktail shaker. Do not add ice at this stage to prevent premature over-dilution of the cocktail.
Shake cocktail with ice
Add 2 cups of large ice cubes to the cocktail shaker, seal the lid tightly, and shake vigorously for 15 seconds until the outside of the shaker feels frosty and painfully cold to the touch, indicating proper chill and 20% dilution from ice melt.
Strain into chilled glasses
Remove the coupe glasses from the freezer (or dump out the ice water if using the quick-chill method), fit a Hawthorne strainer over the shaker opening, and pour equal amounts of the shaken cocktail into each glass, leaving 6 mm (1/4 inch) of headspace at the top of each glass.
Garnish and serve immediately
Skewer one brandied maraschino cherry per drink on a short silver cocktail pick, rest the pick across the rim of each glass, and serve right away while the cocktail is at 4°C (39°F), before it warms and loses its crisp balance.
Tips
2.Skip the neon-bright red maraschino cherries sold in grocery store baking aisles: these carry an artificial candy flavor that clashes with the cocktail. Use dark, brandied maraschino cherries for a complementary rich, nutty sweetness.
3.Stick to the equal-part ratio for your first batch: the Last Word’s iconic, perfectly balanced profile comes from exactly equal measures of gin, Green Chartreuse, maraschino liqueur, and lime juice, so avoid adjusting ratios until you are familiar with the classic flavor.
OMG this is SO good! I made these for my girls’ night potluck last weekend and everyone was begging me for the recipe. I’d never had a Last Word before and the equal parts ratio is so easy to remember, total game changer for my home bar. 10/10 will be making these every time we have people over.
Really solid cocktail! I made these for my husband’s birthday dinner with his family and all the adults loved them, my kids loved the fancy sparkling cider mocktails I served alongside for them! I did cut the green chartreuse just a tiny bit because I find it a little too herbal for my taste, but otherwise it was perfect. Super quick to throw together even when you’re juggling cooking a whole meal.
I’ve ordered Last Words at fancy cocktail bars for years and always thought they’d be too fussy to make at home. This recipe is dead simple, tastes exactly like the ones I pay $18 for downtown! Saved so much money making these for our at-home date night last night.
Tasty, but I messed up my first batch because I thought I had maraschino liqueur and turns out I just had regular maraschino cherry syrup! Oops. Second batch was way better once I ran to the liquor store. Definitely don’t skip the right ingredients here.
Made these for our neighborhood block party pregame and they were such a hit! The 5 minute prep time is no joke, I was able to shake up a round for 8 people in between setting out chips and dip. Will absolutely be adding this to my regular happy hour rotation.
Game changer! I’ve been on a big classic cocktail kick lately and this one just jumped to the top of my list. The equal parts make it impossible to mess up, even after I’ve had a couple already lol.
Love this cocktail! I paired it with our weekly taco night spread and it went shockingly well with spicy al pastor tacos. Only reason it’s not 5 stars is I wish there was a non-alcoholic version note, but that’s on me for not looking for a mocktail version specifically.
As someone who used to bartend in Manhattan, I can confirm this is the exact classic Last Word recipe! No weird frills, perfect ratios, exactly how it’s supposed to be made. Shaken, not stirred, with a nice lime twist garnish, chef’s kiss.
SO good! I made these for my poker night with the guys and everyone was raving. None of us are fancy mixologists, so the simple equal parts measurement was perfect for a bunch of guys who usually just drink beer. 10/10 will make again.
I was worried the green chartreuse would be too strong or medicinal tasting, but it balances so perfectly with the tart lime and sweet maraschino! I even got my roommate who only drinks sweet wine to try a sip and she asked for a full glass.
Wait, I know this is a cocktail and not a meal prep thing, but I pre-batched a whole bottle of this (without the lime, added that fresh when serving) to have after long work days and it’s been a total lifesaver. No fuss, just pour over ice, shake, and enjoy after a chaotic day of work and kid drop offs.
Really great recipe! I didn’t have a cocktail shaker so I just stirred it really well in a mason jar with ice and it still tasted amazing. Would be nice if the recipe listed garnish options, I used a luxardo cherry and it was chef’s kiss.
I was looking for a lower-sugar cocktail option to enjoy on my cheat day and this is perfect! Not cloyingly sweet like so many other cocktails, the herbal notes and tart lime make it feel fancy without all the added sugar. Will be making this for my post-long run reward from now on.
Brought a big pitcher of these to our office potluck last week (we do adult-friendly potlucks on Fridays!) and it was the first thing gone. Even our boss who only drinks scotch on the rocks asked for the recipe. 10/10, easy to make, crowd pleaser every time.
Just shook up my first ever Last Word following this recipe and wow! I’m up at our cabin this weekend and only brought the essentials, and this came together so quickly with just the four ingredients. Tastes like something I’d order at a fancy mountain lodge, I feel so fancy making it at home!
My grandson taught me how to look up cocktail recipes online and this is the best one I’ve tried yet! I’ve been making old fashioneds for 40 years but this might be my new go-to for when my bridge club comes over. So easy to remember the measurements, even for an old guy like me.
Super tasty recipe! I added a tiny splash of grapefruit juice on a whim because I had a cut up grapefruit on the counter, and it was delicious, but I’m sure the classic version is just as good. Next time I’ll make it exactly as written to compare.