How The Last Word Cocktail Was Invented In Detroit Over A Century Ago

Who doesn't want to have the bragging rights over having had the last word in a disagreement? That's likely why Seattle, New York City, and Detroit have all been vying for the final say on where the Last Word cocktail was invented. Although it's pretty clear that Detroit has won that particular argument, there may still be a chance to grab the parting shot in the debate over who invented the drink and how.

Detroit is known for a lot of things: the Motown Sound, the automobile industry, and the poor postseason record of its football team. It even has its own unique style of pizza. But when the Last Word became the "it drink" in Seattle in the early 2000s, the Emerald City quickly laid claim to the drink, with the Seattle Times calling it "the definitive Seattle cocktail" and "the city's biggest contribution to the world of mixology." But the man that popularized it, bartender Murray Stenson, acknowledges the recipe came from a book of pre-prohibition recipes, "Bottoms Up." The book said the cocktail was "introduced" to the city by a man named Frank Fogarty in the 1920s but also credited the recipe to the Detroit Athletic Club (DAC).

It was clear Detroit not only had the Last Word but also the last laugh when the cocktail was discovered on a club dinner menu from 1916. DAC's news magazine also reported that Fogarty, a minstrel performer, had come to perform his show at the club, possibly enjoying some bartending while there. These two pieces of evidence, the club's food and beverage director told the Detroit Free Press, bolsters the claim that the drink was created at the Detroit Athletic Club before Fogarty's arrival. Still, Fogarty is widely credited with having invented the drink. 

The Last Word is made with four equal parts — each measuring about three-quarters of an ounce — freshly squeezed lime juice and three types of liquor. The first is gin, though it's thought originally to have been bathtub gin.  The second was Green Chartreuse, a centuries-old liqueur whose recipe is only known by two monks, according to the New York Times. Finally, Luxardo Maraschino, a liqueur made since the 1820s from sour cherries grown in what is now part of Croatia, rounded out the cast. It is usually served in a stemmed glass and garnished with a maraschino cherry or two. Described as having a sweet and sour flavor with some earthy freshness from the gin, one can see the delicious appeal of the classic drink. But it's also not for the faint of heart; since it is three-quarters alcohol, it can be quite strong. 

Despite being a classic, bartenders have not shied away from creating their own riffs on the drink, usually replacing gin with another spirit. One, called the Paper Plane, features bourbon. The Last Ward, created by New York bartender Phil Ward, uses rye.

The Last Word may not be the first beverage invented in the Motor City – Faygo, a Michigan soft drink brand, was introduced there in 1907 — nor is it likely to be the last. But like Motown and Eminem, it may be something we thank the city for in the years to come.