Happy Friday once again! This Friday is somewhat special since it is “World Gin Day” eve. Did you know that was a thing? I certainly didn’t. I think that means I need to make and review a gin based drink right? I originally was going to make the Last Word in a few weeks since it is so similar to last week’s Nuclear Daiquiri. However, given the timing of Gin Day tomorrow, I feel like I should go ahead and make it since I’ve got the ingredients on hand, and since the daiquiri was so good, I should try the original drink it was spun off from. I’m going to use the PDT recipe, which is where I got the proportions for the nuclear daiquiri from last week:

Last Word:

.75 oz. Tanqueray Gin

.75 oz. Luxardo Maraschino Liqueur

.75 oz. Green Chartreuse

.75 oz. Lime Juice

Combine all ingredients in a shaker filled with ice. Shake, and strain into a chilled coupe

There is much more of an earthy, sweet aroma on this cocktail. More than any other drink I can remember in a long time. When I go back in for a second and third sniff, I’m able to pick out the maraschino liqueur, with the lime coming in underneath.

The sip is very interesting. The lime and sweet maraschino flavors leap onto the palate almost immediately. This sweet and slightly sour combination up front lasts for a good few seconds or so. After that the chartreuse comes in. I can get a lot more of the chartreuse in here than I can get in the Nuclear Daiquiri, and I think that is a good thing. As I mentioned last week, the flavor is supposedly earthy and slightly sweet, and it for sure is that. I definitely get a taste that can best be described as herbal once the lime and maraschino die down. the chartreuse also lingers a little bit after you’ve finished. Longer than expected actually. A good couple minutes after finishing my cocktail I can sill feel and taste it on my palate. As to the base spirit, the gin is definitely overshadowed by everything else at work here. I get next to no signature gin flavors at all. I’m somewhat surprised with this since gin has such a strong and distinct flavor, and I’ve had gin cocktails with maraschino in them before, and was still able to taste it. Apparently the Chartreuse can mute gin all on its own. Truth be told, I subbed Gordon’s for the Tanqueray in the recipe, but I don’t think swapping one London dry gin for another would affect the taste to a degree where Tanqueray could be tasted but Gordon’s couldn’t.

So, I liked this, but If given a choice between the Last Word, and the Nuclear Daiquiri, I would go with the latter. I liked the flavors at work here, but the lingering aftertaste and palate coating was a bit much for me, but again, not a total turn off.

(Banner image courtesy Matthew Tetrault Photography)