The Last Word and the Buzzword Cocktails
We can’t say why it has taken so many years for us to get around to trying the classic pre-prohibition cocktail “The Last Word”. It’s an equal parts mixture of gin, green Chartreuse, lime juice, and maraschino liqueur. The balance of sour (lime) and sweet (liqueur) marries perfectly with the herbal (Chartreuse and gin). So shame on us for not only ignoring this cocktail, but for not using this recipe as a launching pad for an array of variations - as so many others have done. In this article from Punch, bar owner Padraig O’Brien says that The Last Word “is like lasagna… There are 100 different variations on lasagna, but they all work. It’s about getting the ingredients and the proportions right.” By the way, O’Brien’s bar (in Astoria, Queens) is named “The Last Word”.
So we’re including the original recipe in this blog post, and a version we came up with that incorporates Aloe Liqueur (that we recently purchased on a whim while browsing through a liquor store) and mint (which is taking over our herb garden).
It’s hard for us to resist purchasing unique spirits – especially when they are packaged in small bottles. We saw Chareau in a New York liquor store in a 375 ml bottle. The price point was right, so we grabbed it to bring home to the drink lab. Spearmint and cucumber clearly come through, but Chareau also includes: aloe vera, eau de vie (unaged brandy), lemon peel, muskmelon, sugar and water. It’s sweet and botanical – making it a great addition to a summer cocktail and an excellent substitution for maraschino liqueur in The Last Word.
We’re calling our Last Word variation “Buzzword” (pun intended!) We kept the Green Chartreuse and lime, but switched out the gin for white rum, the maraschino for Chareau and added a spoonful of mint syrup. It makes a great summer refresher served on the rocks, and you can lower the alcohol by volume (and add a bit of fizz) with a couple of splashes of club soda. The recipe for mint simple syrup is in our Mint Julep blog post, or skip that step by using Keep it Simple Syrup Spearmint Infused Syrup. The extra “buzz” in our cocktail comes from District Distilling Co’s Buzzard Point White Rum – a locally made spirit that makes a great cocktail.
The recipes for The Last Word cocktail and our "Buzzword" variation are below. Either one is a good choice to bring to your lips on a warm summer day.
Cheers!
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| The Last Word and Buzzword cocktails with Lips - original artwork by Colleen |
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| The Last Word |
The Last Word
¾ ounce Gin (Green Hat Classic Gin)
¾ ounce Green Chartreuse
¾ ounce Maraschino Liqueur (Luxardo)
¾ ounce Fresh squeezed lime juice
Vigorously shake all ingredients together with ice. Strain into a martini glass or a coupe and garnish with lime twist.
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| Buzzword Cocktail |
Buzzword
¾ ounce White Rum (District Distilling's Buzzard Point Rum)
¾ ounce Green Chartreuse
¾ ounce Chareau Aloe Liqueur
¾ ounce Fresh squeezed lime juice
¼ ounce Mint simple syrup (KISS Spearmint Syrup or homemade: see Mint Julep post)
Vigorously shake all ingredients together with ice. Strain into an old-fashioned glass or goblet with several large ice cubes. Garnish with a mint sprig.
Optional: add a splash of club soda to the glass and stir.
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| Buzzword cocktail and the ingredients |
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| Lips - original acrylic and newsprint on canvas by Colleen |
