The Last Word

The Last Word is a cocktail made up of equal parts gin, Green Chartreuse, Maraschino liqueur, and lime juice. The result is a balanced, boozy cocktail that is herbal, sweet, bitter, and sour. However, you could say the basic formula for a Last Word is equal parts spirit, bitter, sweet liqueur, and citrus. Following this basic formula, it’s interesting to see how many cocktails could be considered Last Word variations.

Some of these variations include:

• Naked and Famous: equal parts mezcal, Italian red aperitf, Yellow Chartreuse, and lime
• Paper Plane: equal parts bourbon, Amaro Nonino, Aperol, and lemon juice
• Final Ward: equal parts rye whiskey, Green Chartreuse, Maraschino liqueur, and lemon juice
• Corpse Reviver No. 2: (Kinnon’s favourite cocktail) equal parts gin, Lillet Blanc, orange liqueur, and lemon juice served in an absinthe-rinsed glass

The Last Word and its variants provided the inspiration for this cocktail. We used gin for the spirit, Campari for the bitter component, elderflower liqueur for the sweet liqueur, and lemon juice for the citrus. The result is a bitter, citrusy cocktail with some delightful floral flavours. With a gorgeous pink colour, it seemed only appropriate to name our latest creation the Last Blush.

Campari

Invented in Novara in 1860 by Gaspare Campari, Campari is an iconic Italian red aperitif. Known for its bitter, citrusy flavour and bold red colour, Campari is sure to steal the show in any cocktail it’s a part of. Despite its strong flavour, Campari is a versatile liqueur that will pair well with a variety of flavours. Because of this, it has a permanent spot on our bar cart and is one of our first choices for a summer spritz (sorry, Aperol!).

Some cocktails featuring Campari include:

• Negroni: equal parts gin, Campari, and sweet vermouth
• Garibaldi: Campari and orange juice. This might rival the mimosa as the best brunch drink
• Boulevardier: a variation of the Negroni, which features whiskey, Campari, and sweet vermouth
• Enzoni: gin, Campari, sweet vermouth, lemon juice, simple syrup, and green grapes
• Americano: Campari and sweet vermouth topped with soda water

Bitter Ends

We know that a bitter cocktail might not sound the most appealing. It’s true that the acrid and sharp nature of bitter flavours often give them a negative reputation, but there are many examples of bitter flavours that are enjoyed by many.

Bitter flavours are found in:

• Leafy greens like kale, escarole, and arugula
• Citrus fruits like grapefruit
• Dark chocolate
• Hops in beer
• Toasted sugar like roasted marshmallows or crème brûlée
• Tannins found in beverages like coffee, tea, and wine

There are also several times where bitterness is used to balance cocktails like the use of bitters in and Old Fashioned or the tonic water in and gin and tonic. Bitter flavours provide balance to sweet flavours and also open our palates to new flavours. This may be due to an evolutionary advantage, which makes us more sensitive to bitter flavours due to their association with toxic compounds. This opening of the palate is reflected in many dining practices like aperitivo and palate cleansers, which use bitter flavours to reset the palate and stimulate the appetite.

How to Make It

Add Ingredients

Add the gin, Campari, elderflower liqueur, and lemon juice to a cocktail shaker.

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Shake and Strain

Shake with ice until the cocktail is well-chilled, then double-strain into a chilled coup. We chose to double-strain this cocktail to avoid any small ice shards making it into the glass and diluting the cocktail.

The Finishing Touch

Express and garnish with a lemon twist and enjoy!