The Last Word is far from the final statement on 4-ingredient cocktails, but it could be one of my favorites. Originally the Prohibition-era signature drink of the Detroit Athletic Club, the recipe was published in the 1950s but didn’t become part of the cocktail revolution until just this side of the turn of the century. It was almost lost to obscurity until it was rescued in the mid-aughts by a Seattle bartender. It’s amazing how differently these variations taste, with huge swings in flavor profile but barely different ingredients. The possibilities here are endless, and serve as the ideal template for further experimentation. One variant, The Paper Plane made up of equal parts bourbon, Amaro Nonino Quintessentia, and lemon, is one of my absolute favorites.
Final Ward
Ingredients
- 3/4 oz Rye
- 3/4 oz Green Chartreuse
- 3/4 oz Maraschino Liqueur
- 3/4 oz Fresh Squeezed Lemon Juice
Method
- Combine all ingredients, then fill your shaker with ice and shake until chilled and diluted, about 15 seconds.
- Double-strain into a chilled coupe.
- Garnish.
Equipment
- Shaker
- Fine Strainer
- Hawthorne Strainer
- Peeler or Knife