In 1916, it was the most expensive cocktail on the menu at the Detroit Athletic Club, clocking in at a whopping 35 cents. The Last Word Cocktail recipe is very simple, equal parts gin, green chartreuse, maraschino cherry liqueur, and lime juice it has a wealth of herbal qualities going for it. I mixed the drink using either Hendricks Gin or my other favorite gin The Botanist Gin both have a complex herbal and botanical qualities to them. Coupled with 55% ABV (110 proof) Green Chartreuse which is a distillation of a secret blend of 130 herbs and spices, the flavors of citrus, fresh parsley, tarragon, anise and the smell of freshly mown grass come to mind. The Luxardo Maraschino Cherry Liqueur and lime juice round it out with a bright cherry and citrus finish. The Last Call cocktail is a truly unique and complex cocktail, this one needs to be in your rotation of cocktail recipes. If you don’t make it at home, then you need to order it next time you’re out and about.
Never Shake Gin Cocktails
Gin has an interesting similarity with red wine and aeration. I’ll use this as an example of why never to shake gin. We are all familiar with the practice of letting red wine ‘breathe’. Decanting red wine, swirling the wine in the glass, and exposing it to oxygen for a short time will soften the flavors. This allows some of the more volatile aromas to escape and release the more pleasant fruit and oak aromas in the wine. However, if allowed to breathe for too long the finer subtle qualities of the wine will not only disappear but eventually, the wine turns to vinegar.
Gin is very similar to red wine in this matter. Shaking gin accelerates the breathing process exponentially.
Gin has a complex mixture of aromas divided into three parts; top notes, middle notes, and base notes. With gin, the most desirable qualities are in the top note. All of the botanicals: juniper, pine, fruit, spice, and floral are top notes. Unfortunately, when gin has been agitated by shaking, the top notes are the first to go. Leaving only the less desirable middle and base notes. Bruising the gin won’t turn it to vinegar, but it will leave the gin dull and lifeless. All of the amazing botanicals that are so desirable lost to the inside of a cocktail shaker.
This is my The Last Call cocktail recipe
The Last Word
Ingredients
- 1 Ounce Gin
- 1 Ounce Green Chartreuse Liqueur
- 1 Ounce Luxardo Maraschino Cherry Liqueur
- 1 Ounce Fresh Lime Juice
Instructions
- Combine all in a cocktail shaker over ice, stir until ice cold
- Pour into a chilled coupe or Martini glass, garnish with a twist of lime
Nutrition
