I've made this several times and usually take a sip before adding a fresh lemon slice. The lemon makes a huge difference. Still not getting a Last Word vibe. Maybe if The Last Word had a baby with a Manhattan and it inherited most of its genes from the grandparents?
This is an OK drink with an interesting expression of all the flavors which balance nicely in the glass. The issue is that the result of the balance simply isn't particularly delicious. It's not that it's undrinkable, it's just simply OK.
Very nice cocktail! The Falernum adds viscosity as well as a spicy flavour. I finished mine with a couple of dashes of Fee Brothers' Rhubarb Bitters and that added nice, fragrant touch.