Tuesday, July 15, 2008

The Last Word

On a recent shopping trip, I picked up (among other fun booze purchases) a bottle of green Chartreuse and some Luxardo. Finally, I have the proper ingredients to make the Last Word. It is a fantastic drink for three reasons.

Firstly, it is another great way to get a non-gin drinker to drink (and more importantly, enjoy) their neglected bottles of gin. Secondly, it also helps introduce a whole new generation to the beauties of Chartreuse, something so wonderful that it's "the only liqueur to have a color named after it." That remarkable achievement alone (quoted directly from the bottle itself) should be more than enough to persuade us all into tying this cocktail. Ironically enough, Chartreuse comes in two colors, the traditional green and the softer yellow. Finally, the ingredients all have the same measure. This means you can make your drinks as big or small as you want without ever having to struggle through the mathematical impossibility of multiplying four different fractions having just downed your third cocktail of the evening. Also, there's really no need for a measuring jigger. Don't read this incorrectly. It is still important to measure. But with the Last Word, you can use whatever liquid bearing vessel your pretty little heart desires. So grab your mini dixie cups and start filling to the third blue flower.

1 part gin
1 part green Chartreuse (try yellow for a milder version)
1 part maraschino liqueur (Luxardo if you've got it)
1 part fresh squeezed lime juice

Shake with ice. Strain into chilled cocktail glass. Enjoy.

2 comments:

Andrea said...

gin makes me feel yucky... it smells like pine-sol. i wonder if i'll be courageous to try this in a few days.

Mark Blackhart said...

I happen to share your disgust for gin. It tastes like you're drinking a forest. But mixed properly, it's delicious. And courage has nothing to do with it. Peer pressure, that's the answer. also, if you don't like it, I'll gladly finish your glass.