Here’s Why This $5,000 Cocktail Is the Most Expensive Gin Drink in the World

The world’s most expensive gin cocktail is going to set you back a cool $5,000, or $1,780 if you order it without the diamond-infused Baccarat crystal Tsar glass. (Photo: Baccarat/Facebook)

If you’ve ever found yourself at a luxurious cocktail lounge, you know firsthand the value a well-crafted drink can hold. Typically, we see figures around $20 for an expertly made martini or upwards of $60 for an original craft cocktail whipped up with ingredients you never knew could make a drink so delicious. But have you ever seen a drink priced in the thousands?

The Baccarat Hotel, located in New York, certainly takes the cake for serving up the world’s most expensive gin cocktail with The Last Emperor, a ritzy beverage that’s going to cost the gin-loving imbiber a sum of $5,000.

What Makes This Cocktail so Costly?

Nolet’s Reserve Gin, a spirit featured in the Baccarat Hotel’s luxury cocktail. (Photo: Nolet’s)

The Last Emperor is a combination of five components: Nolet’s Reserve Gin, Chartreuse liqueur (Circa 1921-1926), cherrywood-aged maraschino liqueur, clarified lime juice and a gold-encrusted cherry garnish. If you’re familiar with cocktails, these ingredients are going to ring some bells. The Last Emperor is a glammy version of a Last Word cocktail.

Let’s break down each ingredient, shall we?

For starters, Nolet’s Reserve Gin is already considered one of the world’s most expensive gins. Made from saffron (more expensive per ounce than gold!) and verbena, this gin rests at a higher-than-usual ABV of 52.3%. Additionally, each batch of gin is carefully quality checked by Nolet Distillery’s 10th-generation distillery owner, Carolus Nolet, Sr. Factoring in a mix of expensive ingredients, time, effort and a prestigious box, Nolet’s Reserve Gin is priced at $700 per bottle.

Discover more about Nolet’s Reserve Gin here.

A range of Chartruese products. A special bottling of Chartreuse dated between 1921 and 1926 is found in The Last Emperor cocktail.

Next, the Baccarat Hotel employs the herbal-rich flavors of a vintage Chartreuse bottling, dated somewhere between 1921 and 1926. Chartreuse varietals are already considered to be expensive cocktail ingredients, typically found for upwards of $100 — if you can even find them. Following an announcement directly from the Charthusian monks in France who exclusively produce the entire range of herb-based products, Chartreuse production is now limited so that the monks may spend more time in prayer and solitude. This means Chartreuse is set to be even harder to find than it was before.

Additionally, vintage Chartreuse is quite rare and some bottles dated 1953 sold for $36,561 in early March. And according to The Spirits Business, the Chartreuse that the Baccarat Hotel uses is priced at $1,150 per pour.

Finally, we have the cherrywood-aged maraschino liqueur (priced at $50 per measure), clarified lime juice, a gold-covered cherry garnish — oh, and the diamond-infused Baccarat crystal Tsar glass that you get to take home.

So, a good sum if this cocktail’s price comes from its special glass. But that certainly does not diminish the value of its other ingredients. Without the glass, this drink will still cost more than the average monthly rent of a U.S. apartment.

There’s good news, though. A thrifty version of The Last Emperor can be made in the comfort of your own home!

How to Make Your Own The Last Emperor Cocktail at Home

As a glorified Last Word cocktail, a budget-friendly version of The Last Emperor can be made at home with ingredients you may already have if you’re an adept home mixologist.

This is a twist on a Last Word that includes the rich, earthy tasting notes of saffron in the form of a liqueur, which is a way of paying tribute to Nolet’s Reserve Gin’s key ingredient without totally breaking the bank. As for the Baccarat crystal Tsar glass, you’re on your own.

Last Word à la Saffron

• 1 oz. Gin of choice
• 3/4 oz. Green Chartreuse
• 3/4 oz. Fresh Lime Juice
• 3/4 oz. Maraschino Liqueur
• 1/4 oz. Saffron Liqueur
• 1 Cocktail cherry (usually Luxardo)

Instructions: Pour all ingredients (except the cherry) into a cocktail shaker full of ice. Shake for about 30 seconds, or until the shaker feels chilly. Strain the cocktail into a chilled glass, typically a coupe glass is used. Garnish with a cocktail cherry.

Cheers!

For a close look at the world’s most expensive tequila cocktail, go here.

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