Naked and Famous vs. Last Word: Modern Classics, Compared

naked and famous cocktail in coupe glass with orange peel

Few cocktails have risen to near-instant classic status like the Naked and Famous and the Last Word. Though separated by nearly a century of history, these two drinks share a striking formula and deliver balanced, captivating flavors. For enthusiasts and bartenders, understanding how they compare offers insight into modern mixology’s roots—and its evolution.

Shared Structure, Opposite Eras

Both cocktails are built around an equal-parts template—a rarity in stirred or shaken drinks—which ensures harmony among strong, sweet, sour, and herbal notes. Where they diverge is in choice of spirit, ingredients, and the cultural moment that spawned each recipe.

Naked and Famous Cocktail Recipe

22.5 ml mezcal
22.5 ml yellow Chartreuse
22.5 ml Aperol
22.5 ml fresh lime juice

Add all ingredients to a shaker with ice.
Shake hard for 12 seconds.
Double strain into a chilled coupe glass.
Garnish with an orange peel.

Last Word Cocktail Recipe

22.5 ml gin
22.5 ml green Chartreuse
22.5 ml maraschino liqueur
22.5 ml fresh lime juice

Combine all ingredients in a shaker with ice.
Shake vigorously for 12 seconds.
Double strain into a coupe glass.
Traditionally served without garnish.

Key Flavor Differences

Naked and Famous showcases mezcal’s earthy smoke. Aperol adds gentle bitterness and orange, while yellow Chartreuse provides honeyed herbal notes.
Last Word melds gin’s botanicals, maraschino’s subtle almond-cherry sweetness, and green Chartreuse’s intense herbal complexity. It’s sharper, brighter, and drier.

Both cocktails deliver pronounced herbal aromas, luscious body, and long finishes. Where the Last Word feels bracing and intricate, the Naked and Famous coats the palate with smoke and citrus—making it a favorite for newer mezcal drinkers.

Origins and Evolution

The Last Word first appeared in Detroit in the early 1900s and was revived in the 2000s by Seattle bartenders. Its sharp structure is a pre-Prohibition archetype.
The Naked and Famous, created by Joaquín Simó at New York’s Death & Co in 2011, modernizes the formula by swapping out gin and maraschino for mezcal and Aperol. Its name is a tongue-in-cheek nod to celebrity and the drink’s bold color.

Which to Choose: Exploring Your Palate

For smoky, smooth, and citrus-forward: try the Naked and Famous. Aperol softens mezcal while yellow Chartreuse lingers on the finish.
For bright, herbal, and classic: the Last Word remains unrivaled. The gin and lime give it lift, while green Chartreuse and maraschino tie it to the past.

Both drinks demonstrate how four equal parts can yield remarkably refined cocktails—proof that new classics, like old ones, thrive on balance, flavor harmony, and the value of a well-chosen formula.