Trato Hecho

A classic pre-Prohibition cocktail, the Last Word saw a dramatic decline in popularity post-World War II, but its ubiquity was restored in the early days of the cocktail revival moment. Seattle bartender Murray Stenson famously discovered the drink in Ted Saucier’s 1951 book, “Bottoms Up,” and it quickly became a hit at his bar Zig Zag Café. Today, it’s a drink with a strong fanbase—one of its appeals is its versatility, as bartenders substitute its primary spirit, gin, with others. A popular version is to swap out the gin for mezcal, which works surprisingly well despite having a dramatically different flavor. New York City bar veteran Phil Ward goes a step further in his Trato Hecho, infusing his mezcal with pineapple before mixing it all together.

On paper, the Trato Hecho (and its progenitor) is an odd drink, mixing smoky and fruity pineapple mezcal, highly botanical green Chartreuse, syrupy sweet maraschino liqueur (Ward uses the popular Luxardo brand, but you can use another if desired) and tart lime juice, all in equal parts. But when they come together the balance and depth is remarkable. The pineapple infused in the mezcal adds another layer, too, coaxing out the sweet-tart notes of the lime and maraschino and amplifying the brightness of the mezcal.

After making the pineapple-infused mezcal you can use it for other drinks, too. Try swapping it for tequila in your favorite Margarita, or using it to make a Mezcal Negroni; the pineapple will give it a subtle resemblance to a Jungle Bird.

Last Word

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