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Artificially limiting production on a secret recipe liqueur is a great tactic for turning what could be a commodity into more like a Veblen good. The opposite h

Artificially limiting production on a secret recipe liqueur is a great tactic for turning what could be a commodity into more like a Veblen good. The opposite has happened to Campari, where you can now buy a ton of different red-hued craft aperitivo with similar flavor profiles. The article missed out on mentioning the best Chartreuse-based cocktail though: The Last Word. It’s absolutely sublime. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Last_word_(cocktail) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Last_word_(cocktail)

callahad 4y ago
Alas, the Last Word was mentioned in passing, just not especially favorably: > It’s honestly inspiring that the monks refuse to see their earthly purpose as satisfying the demands of some knucklehead mixologist doing his little riff on the Last Word at some lame speakeasy in some third-tier city. Which is a shame, because it is a fantastic cocktail.
- deleted 4y ago
  [deleted]
- smcl 4y ago
  I'm quite amazed by the concentration of ugly opinions the author managed to squeeze into one relatively short sentence! I thought cocktails were meant to be fun, that they were meant to be riffed on and explored. I guess if you're from a "third rate" city that doesn't apply.
  - starkparker 4y ago
    Considering the author's occupation (author of acerbic, often self-deprecating liquor-related books), location (Philadelphia), and the article's recipes (which include the Bijou, a Last Word contemporary that's also an equal-parts gin and Chartreuse cocktail garnished with a cherry), I suspect that passage is at least a little tongue-in-cheek. Also considering that this is a subscription newsletter, I suspect his audience also suspects that, and this audience doesn't. Anyway, Wilson's 2009 thoughts on the Last Word:[1] > Over the years, I've championed Chartreuse in drinks such as the Bijou (equal parts Chartreuse, gin and sweet vermouth with a dash of orange bitters) and the Scofflaw (Chartreuse, rye whiskey, dry vermouth and lemon juice), and maraschino in drinks such as the Aviation (maraschino, gin, lemon juice and a dash of creme de violette) and a frothy alternative to the margarita called a Prado (in which maraschino replaces Cointreau). > But perhaps the finest use of both liqueurs is together in the Last Word. This is a Prohibition-era cocktail invented at the Detroit Athletic Club and resurrected a few years back by Murray Stenson at Seattle's classic-cocktail haven, the Zig Zag Cafe. Its fame has spread as far and wide as the classic-cocktail movement itself, spawning numerous variations. > With the huge, bold flavors of Chartreuse and maraschino mixed with gin and lime, the Last Word is definitely not a poolside drink, and definitely not for the appletini crowd. It's a thinking person's drink. A drink with a swagger. 1: https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/07/28/AR2009072800436.html https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/0...
    - smcl 4y ago
      You’re right it could well be tongue in cheek
    - dariusj18 4y ago
      I got the impression they were joking about those trying to change the cocktail in some misguided hipster effort.
  - JumpCrisscross 4y ago
    > if you're from a "third rate" city that doesn't apply Third-tier, not third rate. And I’d argue it’s tier two cities which fuck up their cocktails and wine lists most passionately. Go to Bisby or Enniscorthy and they’ll pour a great, simple drink and tell you to kindly fuck off if you order something they don’t know. Order an aviation or Gibson in Manhattan or Palo Alto, and you’re likely to be treated well. But try the same in Phoenix or Aspen, and god knows what saccharine nonsense even a gin and tonic will arrive as.
  - deleted 4y ago
    [deleted]
- kevinmchugh 4y ago
  It's the riffs they're knocking, not the last word itself. There's bad riffs out there!
- tptacek 4y ago
  They're a bit of a cliche, they're too sweet, and they have sort of a reputation as a quick way to get your date drunk. It's a gateway cocktail that's dead easy to make, so dissing on them is also a way to be snooty. If you're sad about Last Words getting expensive, just switch to Paper Airplanes.
anon223345 4y ago
Try the Final Ward (derivative of the Last Word)! But my favorite Chartreuse drink by far is the Monte Cassino
vianneychevalie 4y ago
A friend working at Campari told me their strategy is to cut off supermarkets for a couple of years to focus on bar and restaurants, before an increase in pricing and a comeback in a couple of years.
- swalling 4y ago
  Fascinating, thanks for sharing. They honestly need to try tweaking the recipe too if they want to move upmarket again. To me the amount of sugar in Campari seems high compared to other aperitivo and amaro.
  - KptMarchewa 4y ago
    Not compared to the most popular one, Aperol.
- BlueTemplar 4y ago
  Speaking of supermarkets, I think I remember in Grenoble Chartreuse rows of bottles even being on the "discount" shelves ?? I will have to check how much it costs in mine (it's great, but I'm not really into alcohol...)
bravura 4y ago
I had the most fantastic mezcal Last Word at Ginbo in Palma de Mallorca last week. Simply splendid. (Strangely, ChatGPT suggested a mezcal Last Word variation, dubbing it "The First Word", with a slightly different composition than Ginbo did: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nPMEozP8vvY https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nPMEozP8vvY)
tom-thistime 4y ago
Yeah, the Last Word is great (if you like it). Maybe the author is losing me in several layers of sarcasm or something. I sure hope so.
avisser 4y ago
The Chartreuse cocktail I've had the most of is the Industry Sour: 1 part Green Chartreuse 1 part Fernet 1 part simple syrup 1 part lime juice It was big when I lived in Athens, GA

callahad 4y ago

Alas, the Last Word was mentioned in passing, just not especially favorably: > It’s honestly inspiring that the monks refuse to see their earthly purpose as satisfying the demands of some knucklehead mixologist doing his little riff on the Last Word at some lame speakeasy in some third-tier city. Which is a shame, because it is a fantastic cocktail.

deleted 4y ago
[deleted]
smcl 4y ago
I'm quite amazed by the concentration of ugly opinions the author managed to squeeze into one relatively short sentence! I thought cocktails were meant to be fun, that they were meant to be riffed on and explored. I guess if you're from a "third rate" city that doesn't apply.
- starkparker 4y ago
  Considering the author's occupation (author of acerbic, often self-deprecating liquor-related books), location (Philadelphia), and the article's recipes (which include the Bijou, a Last Word contemporary that's also an equal-parts gin and Chartreuse cocktail garnished with a cherry), I suspect that passage is at least a little tongue-in-cheek. Also considering that this is a subscription newsletter, I suspect his audience also suspects that, and this audience doesn't. Anyway, Wilson's 2009 thoughts on the Last Word:[1] > Over the years, I've championed Chartreuse in drinks such as the Bijou (equal parts Chartreuse, gin and sweet vermouth with a dash of orange bitters) and the Scofflaw (Chartreuse, rye whiskey, dry vermouth and lemon juice), and maraschino in drinks such as the Aviation (maraschino, gin, lemon juice and a dash of creme de violette) and a frothy alternative to the margarita called a Prado (in which maraschino replaces Cointreau). > But perhaps the finest use of both liqueurs is together in the Last Word. This is a Prohibition-era cocktail invented at the Detroit Athletic Club and resurrected a few years back by Murray Stenson at Seattle's classic-cocktail haven, the Zig Zag Cafe. Its fame has spread as far and wide as the classic-cocktail movement itself, spawning numerous variations. > With the huge, bold flavors of Chartreuse and maraschino mixed with gin and lime, the Last Word is definitely not a poolside drink, and definitely not for the appletini crowd. It's a thinking person's drink. A drink with a swagger. 1: https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/07/28/AR2009072800436.html https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/0...
  - smcl 4y ago
    You’re right it could well be tongue in cheek
  - dariusj18 4y ago
    I got the impression they were joking about those trying to change the cocktail in some misguided hipster effort.
- JumpCrisscross 4y ago
  > if you're from a "third rate" city that doesn't apply Third-tier, not third rate. And I’d argue it’s tier two cities which fuck up their cocktails and wine lists most passionately. Go to Bisby or Enniscorthy and they’ll pour a great, simple drink and tell you to kindly fuck off if you order something they don’t know. Order an aviation or Gibson in Manhattan or Palo Alto, and you’re likely to be treated well. But try the same in Phoenix or Aspen, and god knows what saccharine nonsense even a gin and tonic will arrive as.
- deleted 4y ago
  [deleted]
kevinmchugh 4y ago
It's the riffs they're knocking, not the last word itself. There's bad riffs out there!
tptacek 4y ago
They're a bit of a cliche, they're too sweet, and they have sort of a reputation as a quick way to get your date drunk. It's a gateway cocktail that's dead easy to make, so dissing on them is also a way to be snooty. If you're sad about Last Words getting expensive, just switch to Paper Airplanes.

anon223345 4y ago

Try the Final Ward (derivative of the Last Word)! But my favorite Chartreuse drink by far is the Monte Cassino

vianneychevalie 4y ago

A friend working at Campari told me their strategy is to cut off supermarkets for a couple of years to focus on bar and restaurants, before an increase in pricing and a comeback in a couple of years.

swalling 4y ago
Fascinating, thanks for sharing. They honestly need to try tweaking the recipe too if they want to move upmarket again. To me the amount of sugar in Campari seems high compared to other aperitivo and amaro.
- KptMarchewa 4y ago
  Not compared to the most popular one, Aperol.
BlueTemplar 4y ago
Speaking of supermarkets, I think I remember in Grenoble Chartreuse rows of bottles even being on the "discount" shelves ?? I will have to check how much it costs in mine (it's great, but I'm not really into alcohol...)

bravura 4y ago

I had the most fantastic mezcal Last Word at Ginbo in Palma de Mallorca last week. Simply splendid. (Strangely, ChatGPT suggested a mezcal Last Word variation, dubbing it "The First Word", with a slightly different composition than Ginbo did: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nPMEozP8vvY https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nPMEozP8vvY)

tom-thistime 4y ago

Yeah, the Last Word is great (if you like it). Maybe the author is losing me in several layers of sarcasm or something. I sure hope so.

avisser 4y ago

The Chartreuse cocktail I've had the most of is the Industry Sour: 1 part Green Chartreuse 1 part Fernet 1 part simple syrup 1 part lime juice It was big when I lived in Athens, GA