Have the Last Word

Two spins on a pre-Prohibition era cocktail in Louisville

- TATE JACARUSO

During the 1910s in Detroit, Michigan, bartenders began pouring a gin cocktail with green chartreuse, maraschino liqueur, and lime juice. Called the Last Word, the drink regained popularity across the country in the 2000s, with the exact origin of the name unknown. At Decade cocktail bar in Louisville, Kentucky, beverage director Kelsee Bryant whips up two riffs on this pre-Prohibition era classic.

Bryant's first take is the Supersonic. "The herbal notes from the Génépy go well with the gin and bring out the honeydew," says Bryant. "It's bright, refreshing, and herbaceous—perfect for the spring." She says it's a good example of Decade's beverage program: "Seasonally appropriate, well-structured, balanced, and not overcomplicated." As for the How Lucky, Bryant calls it a tiki version of a Last Word. "The funkiness of the rum goes well with the heavy citrus fruits in the drink," she says, while the Meletti "brings some depth."

LAST WORD

MAKES 1 COCKTAIL

¾ ounce gin