This is one of my own inventions, loosely inspired by The Last Word, a cocktail made with equal parts gin, lime juice, Luxardo Maraschino liqueur, and Chartreuse. I swapped lime juice for zesty grapefruit, Maraschino for another cherry-based liqueur called Cherry Heering, and Chartreuse for absinthe, given its green color and herbal nature. Purists might balk at calling it a riff on the classic, but I call it delicious.
For the quickest albeit potent way to explore an absinthe cocktail: Clad yourself in black, dim the lights, and contemplate your mortal existence—although those steps are purely optional. Then pour into a glass, and voilá!
—Ellen Clifford
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