The Last Word is classically made with gin, maraschino, Chartreuse and lime juice. In this riff, whiskey replaces the gin, and Mr Ward switches citrus...
Masterful! The switch to rye appeals to me hugely, even though I used a budget rye for this one (a George Dickel chill filtered). The rye keeps spice in the profile and the maraschino and herbal liqueur (I used Luxardo Del Santo) blend deliciously to create a bittersweet cocktail that I think is making it into my shaker on a regular basis. The mix just seems to work for my palate without making me consider any changes.