Who doesn’t love a good story about a lost city or buried treasure, stardom won and lost? Imagine the intrigue when I learned about a cocktail that at one time was known throughout the land but whose fame had been lost for decades in the post-prohibition apocalypse. A worthy quest for a mixologist indeed!
The decades between the late 1800’s (circa 1860) and prohibition were known in America as the ‘Golden Age’ of cocktails. Bartenders throughout the country experimented with many different ingredients, concocting all sorts of magical elixirs. It was in this time (1862 to be precise) that Jerry Thomas, the Godfather of American mixology, published the very first book in this country about cocktails; The Bar-tenders Guide. In fact, many of the classic drinks we take for granted today; the old fashion, the gimlet, the daiquiri and martini all originate from this Golden Age. Sadly, many drink innovations were lost to history during the dark ages of prohibition. But thanks to Jerry and other mixology pioneers, their books and notes were preserved which helped give birth to the renaissance of cocktails we’ve experienced over the past 30 years.
In the early 1900’s one drink of great renown was called ‘The Last Word’. A gin based concoction made in equal parts from gin, green chartreuse, maraschino cherry liquor and lime juice. Revived in the late 1980’s, the Last Word is finally making its way back from obscurity and regaining its well deserved spot on cocktail menus and hopefully into your bar at home.
I found The Last Word to be a well balanced drink, sweet yet tart with a clean herbal finish. After trying several (because practice does make perfect), and playing around with the traditional recipe, I decided that the Pyrate Bar would endorse the following. In a shaker put the following ingredients, add ice and then strain into a coupe glass. Garnish with a Luxardo cherry.
- 1.5 ounces of Gin
- 1.5 ounces of Green Chartreuse
- 1.0 ounce of Luxardo maraschino liquor
- Juice from half of a small lime
It’s a fantastic cocktail. So do yourself a favor, go buy the ingredients and get your Great Gatsby on!
Pyrate Bar 