The Last Word is a prohibition era drink created at the Detroit Athletic Club. Some assert that the original would likely have contained bathtub gin, but it’s tough to imagine the ballers at this exclusive social club throwin back hooch. The DAC’s members were wealthy, connected, and conveniently located just across the Detroit River from Canada, perfectly positioned to share the spoils of the nation’s leading rum-running operation. Any motley crew of bootleggers brazen enough to drive booze over the frozen river could provide contraband. Since its inception, the drink has struggled to stay in the limelight, but the most recent wave of cocktail crafting has welcomed it with open arms.

This equal parts cocktail manages an admirable balancing act: it delivers the best parts of each boisterous ingredient, while somehow maintaining a sophisticated balance. The show begins with a combination of the mysteriously herbal Green Chartreuse and sweet, medicinal Luxardo maraschino liqueur. It follows with fresh lime on the tip of the tongue, and finishes with the botanical notes of gin. A sharp, dry London style mixer, such as the reliable Death's Door, will cut through the thick, syrupy maraschino. If you have access to it, try using Two James Old Cockney Gin to pay respect to the drink’s birthplace.