Liquore Strega is a sweet herbal liqueur with a fascinating and lengthy history, and on a recent Zoom event, the brand walked a group of booze writers through the spirit’s background — with a particular eye on how to use it in cocktails. The recipe of the day is called the Witch Word — Strega being Italian for “witch” — a spin on the classic Last Word, with Strega subbing in for Chartreuse. It’s quite a natural substitution. The result is less overtly herbal and a lot more floral than a Last Word, the saffron element in Strega really popping when paired with the cherry notes in the maraschino.

You can whip this up for a seasonally appropriate cocktail tonight on Halloween, but keep the recipe handy; it’s an easy, warming cocktail we think you’ll want to keep sipping on through the chilly winter months ahead.

Witch Word
.75 oz Strega
.75 oz gin
.75 oz maraschino liqueur
.75 oz lime juice

Shake all ingredients over ice and strain into a coupe or cocktail glass. No garnish required.