Final Say

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Cocktail History

The Final Say is a modern cocktail that was first published in The Official Downton Abbey Cocktail Book: Appropriate Libations for All Occasions by Lou Bustamante. It was created as a variation of the classic Last Word that calls for crème de violette liqueur in place of the Green Chartreuse in homage to Violet Crawley, the Dowager Countess of Grantham who was a lead character in the television show Downton Abbey.

Cocktail Ingredients

To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following ingredients:

Gin: This is a spirit made with juniper berries, botanicals, and alcohol. I used Prairie Organic Spirits Navy Strength Gin.

Maraschino Liqueur: This is a liqueur made with Maraschino cherries, honey, herbs, spices, sugar, and alcohol. I used Luxardo Maraschino Orginale Liqueur.

Crème De Violette: This is a liqueur made with violets, sugar, and alcohol. I used Rothman & Winter Crème De Violette Liqueur.

Lime Juice: This is the liquid juice of a lime. I used freshly squeezed lime juice.

Lime Twist: This is the peel of a lime that has been twisted into a corkscrew shape.

Bartending Tools

To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following bar tools:

Jigger: This is used to measure and pour ingredients. I used the Japanese jigger from the A Bar Above 14-Piece Silver Bar Set.

Boston Shaker: This is used to shake ingredients. I used the Boston shaker from the A Bar Above 14-Piece Silver Bar Set.

Hawthorne Strainer: This is used to strain out ice and solid ingredients after the cocktail is shaken. I used the A Bar Above Hawthorne Strainer.

Paring Knife: This is used to cut ingredients. I used the OXO Good Grips 3.5 Inch Paring Knife.

Juicer: This is used to juice citrus. I used the ALEEHAI Manual Fruit Juicer.

Peeler: This is used to remove the garnish peel from the citrus. I used the OXO Good Grips 2-Piece Peeler Set.

Tasting Notes

This cocktail has the following flavor profile:

• Appearance: Vibrant purple color

• Aroma: Florals and cherry

• Taste: Sweet citrus and juniper flavor with violet and cherry notes

• Finish: More light cherry and tart lime

Kendall’s Take: “I chose a navy strength gin when I made the Final Say to give this equal-parts cocktail some extra punchy gin flavor, and I really liked that addition. The bold juniper notes balanced out the usually overpowering cherry and floral flavors a lot better. Overall, this drink is refreshing, well-balanced, and as potent as the matriarch’s quips are in the show.”

Recipe

This cocktail recipe was adapted from The Official Downton Abbey Cocktail Book: Appropriate Libations for All Occasions by Lou Bustamante.