The Rise of Malört, an Unexpected Midwest princess

I happen to enjoy malort, so there's probably something wrong with me.

Malort has been seeing wider distribution recently, which i hear may due to a buyout a while ago. Their website lists distribution in Delaware, Maryland, DC, and randomly checking San Francisco shows availability as well.

No more having to visit Chicago to purchase it enables a lot more people to buy it and businesses to serve it.

The weird Chicago only malort variants do disturb me, but i would try them.

The burnt rubber flavor does grow on you. Kinda like how black coffee is a bit of an acquired taste.

The variants are what worry me; it seems to defeat the purpose of a drink that built a reputation on being "unenjoyable" to make it more palatable while using the brand name for cachet.

All that to say, I tried barrel aged Malort -- it mellows down the flavor, so sure it's "better," but again what's the point? There are plenty of better tasting shots out there.

From what I am reading Malort sounds like a bad combo between a disgusting smokey scotch* and Fernet, a liquor that tastes the way a public mens bathroom smells like on a hot day when chilled.

And you compare that to black coffee? Shame on you.

Malort has been available at Total Wine and More for over a year. That's when I bought some and forced my friends into all trying it, and they all agreed it was terrible.

They're not even in the same universe. I don't love Fernet, but I appreciate it, and can taste things in it; it tastes like lots of different herbs and spices, some of them unpalatable. On the other hand, to make homemade Malort, simply mix Windex, Everclear, and sugar.

Malort tastes like extremely bitter grapefruit peel to me.

I also love my scotch as peaty as possibly. So most likely my taste buds are broken.

Fernet is dark and very herbally from my recollection.