The Last Word

A superb gin-based cocktail created by vaudevillian Frank Fogarty in the early 1920's, where it was first served at the Detroit Athletic Club.  A recipe for the drink was first published in 1951 in Ted Saucier's (my middle name, btw) classic cocktail book "Bottoms Up!". The cocktail faded into obscurity until it was rediscovered in 2004 by Seattle's Zig Zag Cafe bartender Murray Stenson, when he came across Saucier's book.  As evidence to its renewed popularity, a recipe for the drink reappeared in the 2009 edition of the "Mr. Boston Official Bartender's Guide".  An equally superb variation to the drink is "The Final Ward", created by the New York bartender Phil Ward, who replaced the gin with rye whiskey and the lime juice by lemon juice.  The recipe is as follows: combine equal parts of gin (I prefer Plymouth), green Chartreuse, maraschino liqueur (I prefer Luxardo), and fresh lime juice.  Shake with ice and strain into a cocktail glass.  Garnish with a lime twist.  Enjoy responsibly.