Name: Widow's Word
Total time: 4 min
Cuisine: Cocktail
Ingredients: 22.5 ml Calvados apple brandy; 22.5 ml Chartreuse Yellow; 22.5 ml Bénédictine D.O.M.; 22.5 ml Lemon juice; 1 dash Aromatic bitters; 2 drop Saline solution 4:1

Ingredients

3/4 fl oz

Calvados / apple brandy / straight applejack

3/4 fl oz

Yellow Chartreuse (or génépy liqueur)

3/4 fl oz

Bénédictine D.O.M. liqueur

3/4 fl oz

Lemon juice (freshly squeezed)

1 dash

Angostura Aromatic Bitters

2 drop

Saline solution (20g sea salt to 80g water) or merest pinch of s

How to make

Glass

Prepare

Select and pre-chill a COUPE GLASS.

No garnish to prepare.

Method

SHAKE all ingredients with ice.

FINE STRAIN into chilled glass.

Garnish

Serve naked, without garnish.

Flavour Profile

No alcohol

Medium

Boozy

Sweet

Medium

Dry/sour

Health & Nutrition

Nutrition:

One serving of Widow's Word contains 209 calories

Alcohol content:

1.6 standard drinks
22.63% alc./vol. (45.27° proof)
21.9 grams of pure alcohol

History

Created by Boston cocktail enthusiast Eric Witz, who shared his equal parts recipe via Instagram in late 2015. A drier, more apple brandy-forward version was created by cocktail photographer Chase Hoffman, who shared his recipe via Flickr: "1.5 oz unaged apple brandy, 1.0 oz fresh lemon juice. 1.0 oz Yellow Chartreuse, 0.5 oz Bénédictine."

See: Last Word history

Gallery

Comments & Discussion

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Simon Sedgley Premium Member 6w

For us, this is an autumnal Last Word. Rich and fruity from the Summer harvest. A drink to dance in hand with as the Sun, in its arc, falls towards the horizon of Winter, when a widow might feel her loss most keenly.

trendomexico Premium Member 6w

Very thick and sweet, the apple and honey is all over the place. Is two steps further than the plain Last Word, is very very rich. Not subtle, lovely, it is very layered. I like it today, maybe I will not remember it tomorrow.

Peter M Premium Member 38w

Delicious. Based on some other comments, it sounds like Avallen Calvados is ideal for this since it has no added sugar. Sweet and sour up front, fading into a ton of herbal complexity with a little "bite" and a little bitterness on the back end.

Mike Hillis 1y

Really good, although probably a bit sweet for my profile as well. I’m curious to see if I might like Chase Hoffman’s version better. However, I do know of some people that would gravitate to this sweeter version.

Caspian Berggren Premium Member 1y

A bit sweet but delicious. Treat more like a sour candy than a sour cocktail.

Florian Ruf Premium Member 2y

Everybody who loves this cocktail should try a "Monte Cassino"!

Simon Difford Verified User Premium Member 2y

Thanks, Florian. I've added a link to the Monte Cassino above.

John CARR Premium Member 2y

Having just tried the widow’s kiss (for D Day) this mirrors what was running through my head… needs a little lemon juice or similar to freshen it up. …now I just need to get some more Calvados in and can try this version!