Why is Malört a Chicago thing?

Jeppson’s Malört is named after Carl Jeppson, the Swedish immigrant who first distilled and popularized the liquor in Chicago. Malört (literally moth herb) is the Swedish word for wormwood, which is the key ingredient in a bäsk, a bitter-flavored type of Swedish brännvin. Malört is known for its bitter taste.

What does Malört smell like?

“This smells like a combination of burning garbage and Ricola, with a massive wallop of alcohol on first taste, nothing but rubbing alcohol and smokey rubber …

Is there a worm in Malört?

2. It’s not actually made with gasoline. The only flavoring ingredient in Jeppson’s Malört is wormwood, a bitter herb known for its ability to kill stomach worms and other parasites. It’s also the main ingredient in Absinthe, a liqueur known for its mythical psychedelic effects.

How would you describe Malört?

What is this? Malört is a Swedish liqueur made with wormwood, which gives it its distinct flavor that’s not easy to drink by itself. The best way for this unique taste to be appreciated is in small quantities over ice or mixed with tonic water.

Is Malört psychedelic?

Malört, or Jeppson’s Malört, is a digestif liqueur flavored entirely with the herb wormwood (the same herb said to give Absinthe its hallucinogenic kick). Malört is produced — and primarily consumed — in Chicago, where the residents are as proud of the bitter liquor as they are of their biting winters.

Is Malört a digestif?

Does Malört taste like Campari?

It is intensely, palate-contortingly, hard-to-hold-down bitter. Other bitter drinks like Campari or Fernet just can’t compete. The only thing I’ve had to give it a run for its money in the bitter race is Amaro Dell’Erborista. That bitterness can throw people for a loop.

How do you describe the taste of Malört?

It has an intensely bitter and astringent taste, which is why it’s often served neat over ice iced tea. It tastes like licorice, which sounds tasty enough, but it’s not sweet licorice; there’s an herbal bitterness to it. What is this? That bitterness is most likely what gives Malört its signature taste and color.