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Both the Last Word's name and the simplicity of its traditionally equal parts recipe lend themselves to adaptation. It is also very much a bartenders'...
Love the Last Word and it’s variants. Created my own by mashing up a Rusty Nail with the Last Word = Last Nail: equal parts, 3/4 oz each, smokey blended scotch, Benedictine, Maraschino liqueur, and lemon juice. No garnish.
I like a Shanghai gin (? Slanted door?) for a lemon version (when limes are ridiculously expensive and not juicy): Benedictine,gin, yellow chartreuse and lemon juice
I substituted El Tesoro reposado tequila for the mezcal in the Naked and Famous recipe at my bar and it was well received! Besides I couldn’t use the original name at a private golf club!
I ran into another variation in a bar near Princeton, kinda a cross between a Last Word and an Aviation: Lemon Juice, Gin, Maraschino, Chartreuse (yellow I think), and then 1/2 part of Violet Liqueur. They called it a Transcontinental.
Thanks for the extra info. Here's my version of the Transcontinental so far: 52.5ml dry gin, 10ml maraschino liqueur, 5ml Yellow Chartreuse, 7.5ml violet liqueur, 15ml lemon juice.
The Last Word appears on a Detroit Athletic Club menu dating from 1915, where it is the highest priced cocktail on the menu at 35¢. A Manhattan, for example, can be had for a mere 15¢. You will find several online images of the menu if you do an internet search.
I do love a Last Word and am enjoying working my way through the various riffs. Might I humbly add my own.
1. Equal parts Cachaca (I use Yaguara Branca), Chartreuse Verte, Maraschino and Lime Juice.
2. 2 parts Cachaca, 1 Lime juice, 1 Chartreuse Jaune, 1/2 Maraschino.
The Portuguese translation is a little obvious, so I was inspired by the Tom Tom Club to call the first, 'What are Words Worth?' The second, as its more of a departure from the original, 'I'll Drink my Words!'. Thoughts?