For one, it’s made with an ounce of vintage green chartreuse circa 1921 to 1926 – an extremely rare spirit priced at US$1,150 per serving.

As pricey as cocktails can get, US$5000 (approximately RM20,900) sounds like a preposterous sum to pay for one. Yet, that’s what you’ll have to fork out for a Last Word cocktail dubbed “L’Imperial” at New York’s Baccarat Hotel.

Why would anyone pay the equivalent of two of 2019’s most expensive smartphones for a cocktail they could down in 10 minutes? The answer lies in more than just the ingredient list.

For one, it’s made with an ounce of vintage green chartreuse circa 1921 to 1926 – an extremely rare spirit priced at US$1,150 per serving. It is the only liqueur in the world with a natural green colour, and the number of bottles in existence today is still uncertain. No wonder the bar director at Baccarat, Anthony Hodge, was inspired to create a cocktail with it after chancing on a bottle.

The concoction also contains an ounce of Nolet’s Reserve Gin, priced at US$100 per serving, and 0.75 ounces of Cherry Oak Aged Maraschino Liqueur, priced at $50 a serving.

That’s not all, the drink is accompanied by Beluga vodka caviar pearls, priced at US$75 a serving, and kaffir lime for an extravagant touch. Baccarat culinary director and two-Michelin starred chef Gabriel Kreuther literally added the cherry on top – an amarena cherry painted with gold leaf and saffron for garnish, worth US$25.

If you add all those up, it still “only” costs US$1,400. See the rest of its price tag is owed not to what’s inside it, but to what it’s served in – a diamond-infused crystal Baccarat Tsar glass worth $3,600. There’s a bit of good news: you get to keep the glass after you’re done with the cocktail.

With the exclusive souvenir considered, would you shell out that figure for the L’Imperial?

Photos: Baccarat Hotel New York