Last Flight

A bitter, spirit-forward sipper that marries bourbon's warmth with Campari's bite and Chartreuse's herbal punch.

bitterherbalspirit-forwardbourbonchartreusecamparinightcapcomplexstirred

ABV

Difficulty

Overview

What this drink is like

The first sip hits with bourbon sweetness quickly cut by Campari's dry bitterness. The middle brings out the wild, herbal notes of the Chartreuse, coating your tongue. It finishes with a lingering, warming spice that slowly fades out.

Who will like it

For people who like bitter, herbal, spirit-forward drinks and enjoy the slow-sipping weight of a Negroni or Boulevardier.

When to drink

Best as an evening sipper or a nightcap when you want something heavy and contemplative.

Ordering tip

If your bar doesn't have yellow Chartreuse, ask for green, but know the drink will be sharper and much more herbal.

Ice: Large CubeTemp: ColdCost: $4–$6Glass: Old FashionedBatch-friendlyMake ahead

Flavor

Taste profile

This drink hits you with a bold, bitter bite right away, backed up by bourbon's caramel sweetness. As you hold it in your mouth, the yellow Chartreuse kicks in with a wild, herbal flavor that changes with every sip. It's heavy and strong with no juice to water it down, so it sits warm on your chest. The Angostura and the Chartreuse keep trading places on your tongue long after you swallow.

Finish: The finish runs long and warming, with herbal spice and a dry bitterness lingering well after the sip.

Primary tastes

bitterherbalsweet

Secondary

earthyspicy

Aroma

orange oilsherbaloakspice

Bitternessfirmly bitter
Campari brings a strong, dry bitterness that sits front and center on the palate.
Sweetnessmoderately sweet
Bourbon and yellow Chartreuse add enough sweetness to keep the bitterness in check.
Strengthvery spirit-forward
The drink is entirely alcohol with no juice or soda, making it heavy and warming.
Refreshingheavy and warming
This is a slow-sipping drink meant to linger, not a crisp thirst-quencher.
Complexityhighly layered
Yellow Chartreuse's dozens of herbs combine with Campari's spices and bourbon's barrel notes for a shifting, layered taste.

Recipe

Make it at home

Stirred · Old Fashioned · equal parts on Bourbon Whiskey. A higher-proof bourbon stands up better to the bitter and herbal ingredients

Before you start

Pull a rocks glass and get your ice ready. You'll want one large ice cube for the serving glass and a handful of regular ice for mixing.

Ingredients

Bourbon WhiskeyBase Spirit30ml
CampariLiqueur30ml
Yellow ChartreuseLiqueurYellow is sweeter and milder than green; green will drastically change the drink30ml
Angostura BittersBitters2 dashes

Garnish: Orange twist

Tools

Mixing glass · Mixing
To combine and chill the ingredients with ice without making them cloudy
At home: A large pint glass or any wide-mouth glass jar
Bar spoon · Mixing
To stir the drink smoothly and quickly without splashing
At home: A long-handled spoon or a chopstick
Jigger · Measuring
To measure the equal parts of each spirit accurately
At home: A shot glass or measuring spoons
Hawthorne strainer · Straining
To hold back the ice while pouring the chilled liquid into the glass
At home: A slotted spoon or a fine mesh sieve
Rocks glass · Serving
To serve the drink over a large piece of ice
At home: Any short, sturdy tumbler
Vegetable peeler · optional · Garnish
To cut a wide strip of orange peel for the garnish
At home: A small sharp knife

Steps

1
Measure out 30ml bourbon, 30ml Campari, and 30ml yellow Chartreuse using your jigger, and pour them all into the mixing glass. Add 2 dashes of Angostura bitters right on top.
!Mixing up green and yellow Chartreuse bottles, which completely changes the drink's balance.
2
Fill the mixing glass about three-quarters full with ice. Stir steadily with your bar spoon for about 25 seconds, moving the ice smoothly around the edges. You'll know you're done when the outside of the mixing glass feels very cold to the touch and frosty.
~25s
!Stirring too fast or knocking the ice around, which chips the cubes and waters down the drink.
3
Place the large ice cube into your rocks glass. Set the Hawthorne strainer over the top of the mixing glass and pour the liquid slowly over the big cube. The drink should look deep reddish-amber and crystal clear.
!Pouring too fast and splashing the liquid over the sides of the glass.
4
Take your orange peel and give it a good twist over the surface of the drink so the citrus oils spray across the top. Rub the peel along the rim of the glass, then drop it into the drink.
!Squeezing the peel too hard and dropping bitter pith juice into the drink instead of just the oils.

Serve

Serve it right away in the rocks glass over the large cube. The big ice melts slowly, keeping the drink from diluting too fast as you sip.

Variations

Ingredient substitutions

Each row shows what you can swap in place of an original ingredient, and how the drink changes.

Swap options for Yellow Chartreuse

Yellow ChartreuseGreen Chartreuse
Match
Specialty availability
Yellow Chartreuse → Green Chartreuse: Makes the drink sharper, much more herbal, and significantly less sweet.
Yellow ChartreuseDrambuie
Match
Common availability
Yellow Chartreuse → Drambuie: Adds a honeyed sweetness and a lighter herbal note, losing the wild complexity of Chartreuse.

Swap options for Bourbon Whiskey

Bourbon WhiskeyRye Whiskey
Match
Common availability
Bourbon Whiskey → Rye Whiskey: Dials back the sweetness and adds a spicy, drier bite that stands up well to the Campari.

Similar cocktails

Cousin drinks that share DNA with this one — each profile stands on its own.

Similar cocktail

Boulevardier

The Boulevardier uses sweet vermouth instead of Chartreuse, making it darker and more wine-driven rather than herbal.

Match

The Boulevardier leans into dark, fruity vermouth notes, while the Last Flight is wilder and more herbal on the finish.

In common: spirit-forward, bitter-sweet, stirred, served over ice

Ingredients

Both share

Bourbon Whiskey, Campari

Only in Last Flight

Yellow Chartreuse, Angostura Bitters

Only in Boulevardier

Sweet Vermouth

Swapping sweet vermouth for yellow Chartreuse replaces the dark, wine-like fruitiness with a bright, herbal punch.

Flavor

Shared flavors

bitter Campari backbone, bourbon warmth, spirit-forward weight

How Boulevardier differs

more herbal, less fruity, lighter color, spicier finish

View recipe & details →

Similar cocktail

Negroni

The Negroni uses gin and sweet vermouth, giving it a botanical, wine-driven profile instead of bourbon's richness and Chartreuse's herbal intensity.

Match

The Negroni is lighter and more aromatic, while the Last Flight sits heavier and hits with a warmer, spicier finish.

In common: equal-parts, bitter-sweet, spirit-forward, stirred

Ingredients

Both share

Campari

Only in Last Flight

Bourbon Whiskey, Yellow Chartreuse, Angostura Bitters

Only in Negroni

Gin, Sweet Vermouth

Replacing gin and vermouth with bourbon and Chartreuse shifts the drink from crisp and botanical to rich and heavily herbal.

Flavor

Shared flavors

bitter-sweet balance, equal-parts structure, Campari dominance

How Negroni differs

heavier body, warmer profile, more herbal complexity, less crisp

View recipe & details →

Similar cocktail

Last Word

The Last Word uses gin, lime, and maraschino, making it a sour, while the Last Flight is a stirred, bitter-sweet drink.

Match

The Last Word is sharp, sour, and slightly fruity, while the Last Flight is dry, bitter, and warming.

In common: equal-parts, herbal, complex, spirit-forward

Ingredients

Both share

Yellow Chartreuse

Only in Last Flight

Bourbon Whiskey, Campari, Angostura Bitters

Only in Last Word

Gin, Lime Juice, Maraschino Liqueur

The Last Word is a sour with citrus and cherry notes, whereas the Last Flight is entirely stirred and built around bitter amaro notes.

Flavor

Shared flavors

Chartreuse herbal punch, equal-parts balance, complex layering

How Last Word differs

no acidity, bitter instead of sour, warmer and heavier, no cherry flavor

View recipe & details →

History

Origin

The Last Flight is a modern craft cocktail that plays on the equal-parts structure of the Negroni and the Last Word. Its exact creator and origin bar are not widely documented, but it emerged from the contemporary cocktail movement's focus on amaro and herbal liqueurs.

Era: 2010s
Confidence

The exact origin and creator of the Last Flight are not well-documented, and the recipe sometimes appears with green Chartreuse instead of yellow.

Practical

Tips & pitfalls

What works at home and what to skip when making this drink.

Tips

Worth knowing before you pour

Stir with large, solid ice to keep the drink from watering down too fast.
A higher-proof bourbon cuts through the Chartreuse and Campari better.
Batch the equal parts ahead of time and keep chilled in the fridge for parties.
Twist the orange peel tightly over the drink to get a good spray of oils.

Avoid

Common mistakes

Don't use green Chartreuse unless you want a much harsher drink.
Don't shake this; it will cloud up and lose its silky texture.
Don't skip the orange peel, it breaks up the heavy herbal aroma.