The Last Word
44 Stephen Street
Stockbridge
Edinburgh
What is it? Brought to you by the owners of the award-winning Bramble Bar on Queen Street, The Last Word is a new "cocktail saloon" in hip Stockbridge. Previously a food-led venue called The Saint, it's now all about great drinks. The small but perfectly formed bar is tucked away in a basement of boho Stephen Street and harks back to a pre-prohibition American saloon where the emphasis was on comfort and service. There is a cosy open fire, mismatched tables and chairs and exposed brick and candles provide the main source of lighting. The bar has a superb array of spirits and cool apocrypha bottles filled with all sorts of exciting concoctions.
Interesting fact The bar is named after a little-known cocktail, which is popular with mixologists. This gin-based classic is thought to have been created by Frank Fogarty in the early 1920s in Detroit, where it was first served at the Detroit Athletic club. Later Fogarty introduced it to New York and in 1951 its recipe got published in Ted Saucier's classic cocktail book Bottoms Up.
Verdict The owners are doing what they do best, amazing drinks with attentive service in a relaxed cool atmosphere. Bramble is one of my all-time favourite bars but I would go as far as to say that this is up there with it. It's all about the skilled staff who are always willing to take you on a voyage of cocktail discovery.
Signature drink The menu has a great selection and doesn't take itself too seriously, which can put the punters off sometimes. I had to have The Last Word of which there are three variants. Equal quantities of premium gin, maraschino liqueur, Green Chartreuse and fresh lime juice shaken hard; this is my kind of drink and was priced at £6.50. With the Raconteur now closed there is a new cocktail king in Stockbridge.
Price Cocktails from £5 for a punch of the day and a pint of Williams Bros for £3.20.
Food None, nada, zilch. Just expertly made cocktails.
Children Not allowed.
Toilets Clean and tidy
Alfresco Small area at the bottom of the steps as you enter the bar.
Avoid if you like your bars big and brash.
Perfect for sitting in front of the open fire with a classic cocktail and putting the world to rights.
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