Final Word

A cocktail known for always getting the last word.

The Final Word is a modern adaptation of one of the most popular Prohibition cocktails : The Last Word. 

In 1915 Detroit, a bartender by the name of Frank Fogarty decided to mix up this gin-based cocktail at the Detroit Athletic Club. The contents consisted of gin, Green Chartreuse, maraschino liqueur, and a fresh squeeze of lime juice. The combination was a bit daring for the time, but also contained a lot of popular ingredients. Gin, of course, was one of the most sought after spirits and maraschino liqueur had established  its own fan base in the late 1800s. However, Green Chartreuse was the real star of the show. 

Created around 1840, Green Chartreuse was derived from an original Chartreuse recipe that dates back 1084. The elixir is made up of some 130 herbs and plants for a truly unique and unreplicable flavor. Green Chartreuse fit right into the early 1900s bar scene, while chartreuse the color became a popular choice in women’s fashion.  

The Last Word maintained its popularity through Prohibition and held on through the very early 1950s before falling off of bar menus entirely. During the cocktail resurgence of the early 2000s, however, when bartenders were searching for classic cocktails to bring back, the Last Word was one of the first words they uttered. Since then, the Last Word has reestablished itself as a classic cocktail and even inspired a few variations like the Paper Plane and the Final Word. 

The Final Word is a rye whiskey based variation that follows the original formula pretty well. Green Chartreuse and maraschino liqueur are still key ingredients with the only other change being lemon juice for lime juice. It’s a sweet and herbal cocktail that gets an extra punch of spice and sour from the rye whiskey and lemon juice. 

The Last Word may have come first, but the Final Word definitely makes the bigger statement. It’s a cocktail that certainly has us speechless.