Jeppson's Malort 750ML Gift Set

Jeppson's Malört 750ML Gift Set is a gift-ready package of Chicago's infamous wormwood liqueur, bottled at 35% ABV (70 proof) in a 750ml format. Few spirits inspire the kind of fierce loyalty — and fearful grimaces — that Malört commands, making it one of the most distinctive cult liqueurs in the American market.

Quick Facts: ABV: 35% (70 Proof)  |  Origin: Chicago, Illinois, United States  |  Style: Wormwood-Infused Herbal Liqueur  |  Distillery: CH Distillery

Production & Heritage

Jeppson's Malört traces its roots to Carl Jeppson, a Swedish immigrant who sold the bitter wormwood spirit during and after Prohibition in Chicago. In 2018, CH Distillery — located in Chicago's Pilsen neighborhood — purchased the Carl Jeppson Company and brought production back to the city after years of contract distillation in Florida. The reformulated recipe starts with a neutral grain spirit base that undergoes wormwood maceration and distillation. CH Distillery sources its wormwood for batch-to-batch consistency and removed the artificial coloring (FD&C Yellow #5) used in the previous production, resulting in a liqueur that is both less artificially bitter and less sweet than its predecessor.

Tasting Notes

Aroma: Honey and light citrus greet the nose first, followed quickly by unmistakable wormwood bitterness lurking underneath. There is a faintly resinous, almost pine-like edge that signals what lies ahead on the palate.

Taste: The entry is immediately and intensely bitter, with wormwood dominating from the first sip. Mid-palate, layers of herbal complexity emerge — dried leaves, green stems, and gooseberry-stem astringency — alongside a sharp citrus note reminiscent of grapefruit pith and bitter orange peel. There is virtually no sweetness; the texture is thick and oily, coating the mouth completely.

Finish: Dry, long, and unyielding, the bitterness lingers well past the swallow and refuses to fade quietly. A slight mentholic coolness flickers at the tail end, but raw wormwood has the final word.

How to Drink Malört

The Chicago tradition is a straight shot at room temperature — no chaser, no apology. For those who want to explore Malört beyond the ritual shot, it works surprisingly well as a bitter backbone in cocktails. A Malört Paloma pairs the grapefruit bitterness with fresh grapefruit juice and tequila, creating a doubled-down citrus punch. A Malört Negroni substitutes part of the Campari with Malört for an aggressively herbal twist that rewards adventurous drinkers. A Chicago Handshake — Malört alongside an Old Style beer — is the city's signature serve and the simplest way to experience the spirit in its cultural context.

Best For

• Gifting a friend who loves Chicago culture, food, and drink traditions
• Initiating someone into the notorious Malört challenge at a party
• Adding a genuine conversation-starter to a home bar collection
• Exploring bitter spirits beyond Italian amari and European digestifs

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Malört taste like? Malört delivers intense, uncompromising wormwood bitterness with flavors of grapefruit pith, raw herbs, dried leaves, and a long astringent finish — there is virtually no sweetness, and the thick, oily texture amplifies every bitter note.

How does Malört compare to Fernet-Branca? Both are aggressively bitter spirits, but Fernet-Branca balances its bitterness with menthol, mint, and subtle sweetness from a complex blend of herbs and spices, while Malört focuses almost entirely on raw wormwood bitterness with no sweetness to soften it. Fernet-Branca is also bottled at a higher 78 proof versus Malört's 70 proof.

Is Malört good for cocktails? Malört functions well as a bittering agent in cocktails such as the Malört Negroni or Malört Paloma, where its intense wormwood character can be tempered by citrus, soda, and complementary spirits.

Where is Malört made? Malört is produced by CH Distillery in the Pilsen neighborhood of Chicago, Illinois. Production returned to Chicago in 2018 after CH Distillery purchased the Carl Jeppson Company and moved operations from a previous contract distiller in Florida.

What foods pair well with Malört? The intense bitterness pairs with rich, fatty foods that benefit from a palate-cleansing counterpoint: deep-dish pizza and Chicago-style Italian beef sandwiches lean into the local tradition, while sharp aged cheeses, cured meats, and dark chocolate can hold their own against the wormwood's grip.

What sizes does Malört come in? The gift set includes a standard 750ml bottle; Jeppson's Malört is also commonly available in 750ml standalone bottles and 50ml miniatures.

Is Malört worth the price? Malört positions as an affordable specialty liqueur, priced competitively within the bitter spirits category — its cult status and uniquely polarizing flavor profile give it a value proposition driven more by cultural significance than by production extravagance.

Why Malört?

This gift set packages one of America's most polarizing spirits in a format designed to be shared, which is exactly how Malört has always spread — person to person, shot glass by shot glass. Since CH Distillery took over production in 2018, the liquid itself has improved measurably: consistently sourced wormwood delivers a more refined bitterness, and the removal of artificial coloring means the spirit now stands on its actual ingredients. No other widely available American liqueur occupies this space — a single-minded, wormwood-driven bitter with no sweetness to hide behind. Whether the recipient grins or grimaces, the reaction is guaranteed, and that is precisely the point.