The Last Word Cocktail is reputed to be an old-timey cocktail, originating in Detroit, and dating back to pre-Prohibition. All I know is, it's pretty tasty. 

Evidently, The Last Word Cocktail, after languishing in obscurity for about 80 years or so, enjoyed a sudden resurgence when a Seattle bartender recreated it and began serving it around 2006. According to folklore, he discovered the cocktail in a book that was written in 1951.

The ingredients include equal parts gin, green Chartreuse, Luxardo maraschino liqueur, and fresh lime juice. The cocktail is slightly sweet, but also very herbal.

Chartreuse is a bright green liqueur originally made by the Cartusian monks of France since 1737, and contains 130 herbs, plants, and flowers.

Luxardo maraschino liqueur is made in Italy from Marasca cherries. It's really fruity and herbal at the same time. Look for the green bottle wrapped in a basket, not to be confused with the Sangue Morlacco, which is their fortified cherry wine. I first tried it in the Hemingway Daquiri Martini, and the The Classic Cocktail.

I know you know what gin and lime juice are, right? ... P.S. My new favorite gin? Fords.

I reserve having The Last Word Cocktail for special occasions, such as an occasional Friday night after a long week, or when dear friends visit. The Chartreuse is pretty dear and pretty potent, and worth rationing.

Can I just tell you how much I love these glasses? I have been against spending any money on glassware. I used to have a lovely collection of gorgeous French lead crystal, with 12 red wine glasses, 12 white wine glasses, and 12 coupes, all wedding gifts from my "starter" marriage. The collection now consists of 3 coupes, 1 white wine glass, and 3 red wine glasses. I blame my first husband. I think it was all part of a plot to get out of washing dishes.

Here is one of the remaining coupes (pretty, right?). I decided to no longer get attached to beautiful glassware, it's just stuff after all .... until now.

Mr. Kitchen and I spent a few days in Austin this year, and came across some gorgeous etched vintage glasses at the bar in Geraldine's, the restaurant in our hotel, the Hotel Van Zandt. They used the glasses to serve their Vesper martini. I fell in love with them and tried to buy a couple from the bartender, but she told me that they had such a hard time hanging onto them, and that they were often stolen.

And then.... while Christmas shopping at Williams Sonoma... I came across these....

Do you see why I fell in love? They are even prettier than the glasses in Austin. They are called Minners Vintage Lace Nick & Nora glasses. OMG, aren't they gorgeous?

They are lead free, and very reasonably priced! I bought four in the store and then promptly ordered more online, in two sizes. I luuuurve them!!! (Williams Sonoma is not paying me for this endorsement, nor do they know that I am such a big fan girl).

Here's the recipe for the cocktail:

The Last Word Cocktail

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 ounces gin
• 1 1/2 ounces Chartreuse
• 1 1/2 ounces Luxardo Maraschino Originale
• 1 1/2 ounces freshly squeezed lime juice

Instructions

1. Chill two martini glasses.
2. Fill a martini shaker with ice and add the gin, Chartreuse, Luxardo, and lime juice, and shake for about a minute. Let sit for about 30 seconds to a minute.
3. Strain the cocktails into the two glasses and serve.

Yield: 2 cocktails