Are you a Discerning Drinker?
Join thousands of like-minded professionals and cocktail enthusiasts, receive our weekly newsletters and see pages produced by our community for fellow Discerning Drinkers.
Forum
Last Word
Traditionally made with equal parts gin, Green Chartreuse, maraschino liqueur, and lime juice but, like like many others, (when using a 40%-43% alc./vol...
30th July at 06:30
Thanks. I'll add to Difford's Guide ASAP. Same ingredients as a Gypsy No. 1
https://www.diffordsguide.com/cocktails/recipe/2681/gypsy-no-1
https://www.diffordsguide.com/cocktails/recipe/2681/gypsy-no-1
26th June at 17:54
On the hunt for a cocktail I could use my supply of Hierbas Mari Mayans in, I settled on this. Swapped the Chartreuse out for the Hierbas. It was well balanced - so might be a palatable replacement if you can't find Green Chartreuse.
10th June at 23:38
I love this drink and I have and almost full bottle of green Chartreuse but now save for very very special occasions …found and have almost used the whole bottle of Dolin Genepy as a substitute and does extremely well…just a tip to my discerning friends!
10th June at 23:07
What are the chances; as I drink this, I am writing an anniversary card to my wife with a BIC pen, on the day the ballpoint pen came to be! Alas, it has been months that one has been able to purchase Green Chartreuse in Canada so I have used Yellow. I am surprised that unless I missed it, while there are Last Word variants that use Yellow Chartreuse, none use gin as the base spirit. So with the assistance of a Google search and AI, "I" can report that using Yellow in place of Green results in a "sweeter and less herbaceous, more citrusy finish" with less total ABV. Still, a very good drink.
25th July at 10:48
Another 4 equal-part gin + yellow chartreuse + citrus cocktail is the Corpse Reviver No.2 (Contemporary Recipe):
20 ml London Dry Gin, 20 ml Yellow Chartreuse, 20 ml Lillet Blanc, 20 ml Lemon juice, 1 dash Absinthe.
This one, I have not tried. [Last Word]
20 ml London Dry Gin, 20 ml Yellow Chartreuse, 20 ml Lillet Blanc, 20 ml Lemon juice, 1 dash Absinthe.
This one, I have not tried. [Last Word]
25th July at 09:41
Consider a Shanghai Gin (20 ml London Dry Gin, 20 ml Yellow Chartreuse, 20 ml Bénédictine, 20 ml Lemon juice).
"Very nice! Thicker than a Last Word, and less lemony than a LW is limey" say my notes, laconically.
[Last Word]
"Very nice! Thicker than a Last Word, and less lemony than a LW is limey" say my notes, laconically.
[Last Word]
2nd June at 22:28
Great drink！Wondering how comes the green chartruese，seems the original recipe only mentioned chartreuse？May be just about flavor rather than tradition？
3rd June at 05:47
Green Chartreuse predates the yellow version, and Green consistently outsells Yellow; hence, if only “Chartreuse” is mentioned, it is a fair assumption that Green is intended.
18th May at 14:47
Made and consumed in a silken dressing gown courtesy Mr Geoffrey Stocker. Not much to say other than a bona fide classic. Unaccountably I was out of fresh limes, so used half/half grapefruit and lemon - perhaps slightly more lemon for the essential balancing acid. I believe an aviation or aviazione may also be in order.
9th May at 06:09
Bang, bang, bang. It’s the drink that shows up in my mind when I have no clue for what to drink next. Miraculous drink
17th April at 01:50
3 words: just the best
20th February at 01:47
A perfect cocktail. There’s nothing like the real deal… green chartreuse (no subs!).
6th February at 23:54
Very herbal, with a nice balance, nothing seems too present...
9th January at 07:48
it's simply unfuckingbeeatable
16th October 2024 at 18:05
I used Green Bay Gin (because why not?). Didn’t have any fresh limes, so I used half and half reconstituted lime juice from a bottle and half sweetened lime juice. It was just right. Loved it and look forward to making this again. My bottle of Green Chartreuse is 3/4 gone, so a new bottle is going on my Xmas list. (I’ll get some limes in)
8th September 2024 at 04:46
While closing argument is bold and somewhat funky, this is a very bright and crisp drink, after a 6 months struggle to get my hands on some chartreuse it sure is a delight to mix the Last Word once again.
2nd August 2024 at 06:25
One of my favourites. Right this moment drinking something like a cherry last word variation of such a thing can exist. 30 ml tanqueray, 30 ml maraska marachino liqueur, 30 ml lime juice, 15 ml dolin vermouth blanc, 15 ml de kuyper cherry brandy.
2nd June 2024 at 20:38
After trying many variations, what I really suggest, is returning to the original like coming home. It is still one of our top favorite cocktails. I suggest do Simon`s recipe with a bit more gin. And I am sorry to say, but IMHO there is no true replacement for Chartreuse.
27th April 2024 at 22:18
Great cocktail. And resilient too! Ordered one at the Algonquin Hotel in NYC and it came in a rocks glass …over a block of ice! I was aghast. But, to my surprise, enjoyed it much … and ordered another!
27th April 2024 at 01:47
Absolutely great flavors. Love the chartreuse in there.
29th December 2023 at 01:53
A springtime field of wildflowers in a cocktail. Absolutely outstanding!
8th December 2023 at 03:58
boozy, used yellow chartuse. very complex and balanced.
12th November 2023 at 03:28
Just outstanding. For what it's worth, I'm getting low on Green Chartreuse so did a back to back comparison of one with Chartreuse and one with Génépy le Chamois. Bombay Dry 43 and Luxardo in both. You maybe lose a little complexity with the Génépy but both were lovely.
11th November 2023 at 00:09
What a lovely cocktail, I made mine with Dolin Genepy, instead of Green Chartreuse, so hard to buy right now. Thanks for the history! I think Frank Fogarty is a distant relative and chuckled when I read about him in the history. My grandfather was born a few years before Frank, John J Fogarty also born in Tipperary.
6th August 2023 at 18:25
Thanks for the response Simon. By the way, a suggestion for the site. I like the fact we can see our comments, but it would be more useful if they also linked back to the original comments list, otherwise the context gets a bit lost. Thanks again.
27th June 2023 at 19:28
did it equal parts, first time with Haymans Old Tom, don't recommend that one -the additional layer of flavor it adds strangely develops some kind of metallic feeling in the roof of my mouth.
Retried with Tanqueray 47.3% - more balanced, but still...it's like an ultraviolet color for your eyes, you see only the part of it, and the other part - just irritates your vision...hope I make myself clear. :)
In conclusion, I lean towards somewhat taming the gin, will update with results.
Retried with Tanqueray 47.3% - more balanced, but still...it's like an ultraviolet color for your eyes, you see only the part of it, and the other part - just irritates your vision...hope I make myself clear. :)
In conclusion, I lean towards somewhat taming the gin, will update with results.
20th March 2024 at 12:04
Stick with a nice adaptable gin such as four pillars rare dry, with Simon’s 30ml extra touch. Works perfectly for me. Keep it simple!
18th June 2023 at 20:00
Echoing some other comments, I feel that a classic cocktail such as this should be listed with the classic 1:1:1:1 ratio, even if you, as an expert, prefer as different ratio, which can be added to the review of to a seperate "(Diffords Version)" recipe. I do prefer your ratio though, thanks for improving this classic cocktail!
4th June 2023 at 23:01
Just as an FYI in these trying time, Genepy fills in fairly nicely in this one.
9th January 2024 at 02:29
I managed to snag a bottle of GC again and couldn’t be happier. Not a big fan of Beefeater, so I made with Aviation instead. It was sublime.
16th June 2023 at 02:14
Great suggestion Steve. I recently ran out of Genepy and have been using Liquore Strega as an effective Chartreuse substitute.
8th May 2023 at 02:57
A bit confused… the Last Word is known as one of the quintessential equal parts cocktails. So… this is not a classic Last Word. It’s a variant. Which is fine… I actually just made both this recipe and the equal parts version and am sipping them side-by-side. I’m honestly not sure which one I like better. But… that’s not the point. This should have some indicator that the classic recipe as accepted as standard has been tweaked. Like “Difford’s recipe”? But nothing even mentions the tweak.
8th May 2023 at 07:20
This was explained in history via link but you make a good point so I have moved to above and added a note about the alcohol strength of gin used.
29th March 2023 at 01:28
I multiply the proportions by 1.5 when I make this: it makes it easier to measure, and gives me more delicious drink to enjoy! :)
2nd February 2023 at 23:37
I like it better all equal parts, 3/4 ounce each.
25th January 2023 at 16:59
I have a Bardinet Maraschino and I feel it’s overpowering in this cocktail. Anybody have any experience with it? I want to know if it’s worth picking up some Luxardo or if maybe I just don’t like maraschino.
11th December 2023 at 20:56
I mixed it with Bardinet, then I enjoyed it with Luxardo in The Pharmacy, Málaga. The difference is enormous in favour of Luxardo. This must be one of the best cocktails I've ever tasted.
16th February 2023 at 18:29
Luxardo is worth the investment! Out of interest, I just tried with both 10ml (1/3oz) and 15ml (1/2oz) of maraschino (both versions without the addition of sugar). With 10ml I found thin and far from being a last word. The 15ml version was OK but I much prefer it with 20ml.
15th January 2023 at 21:24
absolute masterpiece
1.5 oz Citadelle Jardin d’Été gin
0.75 oz Green Chartreuse
0.75 oz Drillaud Elderflower Liqueur
0.75 oz fresh Lemon juice
3-4 dashes Orange bitters
Shake hard, double strain served up. It’s a lot less tart than the Last Word