The Last Word.

Sounds kind of ominous, doesn’t it? It’s a Prohibition-era cocktail that features one of the oldest (and most misunderstood) liqueurs produced today: Chartreuse. It’s what gives it its green color (hey, it’s St. Patrick’s Day) and heady, herbal but hard-to-place flavor.

I’d been holding off on purchasing Chartreuse for a number of reasons. Firstly, I do not have an unlimited spirits budget and Chartreuse is fairly pricey. Sad, but true. Second, there were a bunch of other spirits I wanted to buy first. Now, I’m not sure why I waited. Chartreuse, which has been made in France by Carthusian monks since the 1740s, includes over 130 herbal extracts. It’s complex and a little offputting at first, but when mixed the right way, it ends up being magical. The Last Word is a great way to do it.

The Last Word:

3/4 oz Chartreuse
3/4 oz Maraschino

3/4 oz lime juice

3/4 oz dry Gin (I used a sample of New Amsterdam, which is more citrusy than juniper-y– use a gin like Beefeater for even more complexity)

Combine and shake with ice until chilled. Serve in a coupe or cocktail glass. Savor the fact that this is the only (slightly) green thing you need to drink on St. Patrick’s Day.

This is such an interesting drink– you have the bitter, cherry-almond flavor of the maraschino, tart lime, and citrusy gin combining with the herbs of Chartreuse. It’s hard to pin down the exact flavor profile:  it’s got some sweetness and a lot of herbaceousness, which is offset by the slightly bitter Maraschino..  You’d think that these things wouldn’t come together well, but boy, do they. If you like super-sweet drinks, this one isn’t for you, but if you like them complex and kind of mysterious? Shake one up. It’s worth it.

Related posts:

1. Recipe: Maraschino Cherries