The Last Word

Friends of mine have the PDT Cocktail Book, a veritable treasure trove of cocktail recipes, and they introduced me to this drink just last week in Philadelphia. One sip and I was hooked.

Equal parts gin, maraschino liqueur, lime juice and green Chartreuse, it’s potent for sure, but somehow, these four powerful flavors combine to bring about a perfectly balanced, bright, herbal, citrusy drink that goes down deceptively easy.

 I’m a firm believer that your choice of base spirit really affects the overall enjoyment of your cocktails, especially ones with so few ingredients. And the base spirit that seems to me to have the largest variation in flavors and styles is gin. I made this drink with Tanqueray 10 and Hendricks and loved both, the Tanqueray making a brighter version, the Hendricks and more aromatic. I’m sure any London Dry would do, but if I’m making a Last Word, my first choice would be one of those two.

Shake well with ice then strain into a chilled glass. Garnish with a twist of lime, or just drink up!