Equal parts Gin, Green Chartreuse, Maraschino Liqueur, and Lime Juice and garnished with a dark Luxardo cherry, The Last Word is one of my favorite cocktails with its earthy, yet sweet flavor of herbs that perfectly balances the sourness of the lime.
Created by French Carthusian Monks since 1737, Green Chartreuse is made with 130 herbs and plants and is the cornerstone of the four liquid ingredients of The Last Word. I first tasted it when my friend, Hollie, a mixologist at Lehua Lounge at the Andaz in Wailea, Maui, offered a sip of it while she made my first ever The Last Word. It was sweet, herbaceous, and full of flavor, and as Hollie began telling me the story behind this green liqueur, I knew it was an ingredient I wanted to incorporate into my own cocktails.
Only 2 Chartreuse Monks know the names of the 130 herbs and plants used to make Chartreuse: the ones mentioned in the manuscript they have been given more than 400 years ago.The herb room is located in the old monastery’s bakery. There the herbs and plants are dried, crushed, and mixed in different series. Each series is then kept in a carefully numbered bag. — Quote from Chartreuse.fr
The Last Word is decadent to its little Luxardo cherry core with ingredients that range from a couple dimes up to about $60. At nearly $50 to $60 a bottle, I consider Green Chartreuse a guilty pleasure to enjoy ever so sparingly. Luxardo Maraschino Cherry Liqueur, and Luxardo Cherries also slap your wallet with a hefty price tag, it is best to avoid a heavy hand while pouring.
The beauty, however, of The Last Word is that this shaken cocktail can be enjoyed at almost any volume, as long as the ratios remain the same — all equal parts. Typically mixed at 3/4 ounce parts, you can feel free to adjust as desired.
Pro tip: Trader Joe’s Morello Cherries are dark, flavorful, and super-cheap, so I swap the Luxardo cherries for the $3.99 Trader Joe’s variety.
Make it your way — after all, you do have the last word.
