Read on Twitter
Markets are closed, I did a big shop this morning, and I got a workout in. Seems like a fun afternoon to do a tour of Last Word riffs.
What’s a Last Word? One of the classic cocktails. I was introduced to it by @Nonrelatedsense. May he Rest In Peace.
A classic Last Word is 3/4 oz each Luxardo, green Chartreuse, lime juice, dry gin. We can start there.
Notes: you want to absolutely shake the hell out of this thing for no longer than 10 seconds. Make sure you double strain and consume within about 4 minutes of pouring.
Our second stop will be at the airport. The Paper Plane is a Last Word riff that features bourbon, Aperol, Amaro Nonino, and lemon juice. Widely known as the drink of choice for @VegaVandal.
With this in hand it’s worth talking about what we say when we use the word “riff”. The basic idea is to retain some of the character of the original by swapping all the pieces around. So: gin/bourbon, lime/lemon, Luxardo/Aperol, Chartreuse/Nonino.
Gin and bourbon are wildly different bases so the sweet maraschino needs to be exchanged for a duller orange (Aperol). Similarly, intensely herbaceous and acid-loving green chartreuse gets swapped for lighter and accessible Nonino (which is a very easy drinking Amaro).
A final technical note before I pause for more laundry folding: I went with the high value/price ratio Old Grandad but the world of bourbon is extremely diverse. I’m a cocktail guy, not a whiskey guy, but this thread was awesome. https://twitter.com/tenyearnote/status/1246538365089902594?s=21 https://twitter.com/TenYearNote/status/1246538365089902594
New stop, new base. Mezcal is a world just as varied as whiskey, but I enjoy jóvenes, the less smoky kinds. Naked And Famous has some smoke, Aperol, lime, and yellow (not green) Charteuse. Add mole bitters for an extra kick.
This Last Word riff has smoke, and the yellow version of Chartreuse is a less sharp herbaceous ingredient. It pairs well with all things agave-derived. The bitters aren’t typical for a Last Word but they really add and compliment here.
A quick word about tools. Here’s what I’ve used to make each drink in this thread, with ample rinsing as soon as poured. Remember: double strain. Floating ice is great in a martini, not so much with these types of drinks.
We are far afield now. No name for this, which is one of my own creations. But we are retaining the base/herbaceous/sweet/citrus format. Cynar is an Amaro, on the more intense end of things. DdC is ginger. All together this tastes like a bitter version of rum & Coke w/lemon.
Last one in far out territory before we arc backwards. Equal parts rye, Benedictine, Cointreau, a dash of Ango, and 3/4 bar spoon of citric acid. This is the modernist riff.
We are blatantly breaking the rules by swapping citrus juice for the flavorless citric acid. We’re also adding bitters, and while liquids are equal part, they’re not 4 equal parts but three.
And yet the result is an unmistakable blend of complex base, herbaceous modifier, citrus, and sweet. It’s indisputably a Last Word derivative.
This is where cocktails are so fun. The rules are all entirely arbitrary and begging to be broken. Tradition is good but a limitation that must be understood. I’m sure accomplished chefs would agree vis-à-vis their cuisines.
This is much more familiar. Relative to the original recipe, all we have done is swapped rye for gin and lemon for lime. I prefer the original but if you hate gin (some do, no judgment) this captures the spirit of the drink with aplomb.
Last post. Here’s my favorite variation of the Last Word. 1 oz each dry gin, green chartreuse, and lime. With a spritz-down of the glass with Luxardo because I’m not a sugar guy. Rules were meant to be broken. Have a great weekend y’all!
