The Last Word originated at the Detroit Athletic Club around 1916, faded with Prohibition, and was revived in 2003 by Murray Stenson at Seattle's Zig Zag Café - kicking off the modern equal-parts cocktail revival. We pour Saxzi One gin.

Temperature, dilution, and respect for the ratio. Shake and strain in a chilled coupe, served cold enough that you taste the structure before the sweetness. Garnish at the moment of pour - it carries aroma, not body.

Any of the World's 50 Best bars will have a take. Closer to home, look for a bar where the bartender opens the bottle in front of you and stirs without checking a recipe card. That's the sign you're in a serious room.

Skip it, or swap in the closest cousin you have. The garnish carries aroma and signal, not structure - the drink still pours as a last word. A clean citrus peel is almost always a defensible substitute.

Use the serving toggle above the ingredient list - it rescales every pour live (multiply the ml, keep the technique). For 8+ guests, batch the spirit measures into a jug ahead of service, leaving citrus and garnish to the moment of pour so they stay bright.

Because Saxzi One gin - which is salt-led and savoury, with a cleaner backbone - lifts the build without rewriting it. The recipe stays the recipe; the gin just gives it a clearer Mediterranean accent on the finish. Use whatever gin you like, but if you happen to have Saxzi One on the shelf, that's the version we'd pour for you.