The Last Word: A Prohibition-Era Gin Classic

The Last Word is a gin-based cocktail originating at the Detroit Athletic Club in the 1910s, shortly before the start of Prohibition. After a long period of obscurity, it enjoyed renewed popularity in the early 2000s after being added to the menu of the Zig Zag Café in Seattle.

Ingredients

• 3/4 ounce gin
• 3/4 ounce green chartreuse
• 3/4 ounce lime juice
• 3/4 ounce maraschino liqueur
• Garnish with a brandied cherry

Directions

• Add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker.
• Add ice and shake until chilled.
• Strain into a chilled coupe or cocktail glass.
• Garnish with a brandied cherry.

Recipe and Variations

The Last Word consists of equal amounts of gin, green Chartreuse, maraschino liqueur, and freshly pressed lime juice, which are combined in a shaker with ice. After shaking, the mix is poured through a cocktail strainer and served straight up without ice. The Prohibition-era cocktail at the Detroit Athletic Club used bathtub gin, and today the club serves a recreation of that spirit (vodka, spices, herbs, citrus) in their Last Word. Other variants include the "Final Ward," created by the New York bartender Phil Ward, which substitutes rye whiskey and lemon juice for gin and lime; and the "Last of the Oaxacans," which uses mezcal instead of gin.

History

The Last Word fell into obscurity after World War II. In 2003, Seattle bartender Murray Stenson saw the recipe in a copy of Bottoms Up! and added it to the menu of the Zig Zag Café, where it became a regional cult hit before spreading in popularity across the country. Bartender Audrey Saunders of New York's Pegu Club called the drink a "perfectly balanced" palate cleanser with a "good bite." The recipe subsequently reappeared in cocktail guides, including the Mr. Boston Official Bartender's Guide.

In Popular Culture

On May 20, 2011, Rachel Maddow demonstrated the preparation of the cocktail on her show on MSNBC, calling the drink the "last word for the end of the world." This was in reference to the rapture and end-of-world prediction of the Christian radio host Harold Camping and the MSNBC news program The Last Word with Lawrence O'Donnell, which covered Camping's predictions extensively.

Enjoy your Last Word, a timeless cocktail that balances herbal, citrus, and sweet notes in perfect harmony!

Best year-round, especially when served as a first or second-round cocktail. 🍸✨