When I last left off in Part II, I promised we'd go slumming in Chicago. Ah yes, [Malört...](https://pic8.co/sh/NWrKb6.jpg) Pretty sure this is what happens when an aspiring Scandanavian distiller with twisted taste buds falls asleep in a bed of strange herbs in Chicago. Might have been a bed of weeds - wormwood to be specific. In any case, calling this a "liqueur" is a bit of a stretch. It is bitter medicine - little to no sweetness, and with its heavy Wormwood flavor it could easily do dual duty as de-worming medicine. I'll leave the story behind Chicago's finest "liqueur" to you, but end this intro with a paraphrased quote from @Theodore_kent in a convo we had a goodly while back: >Malört tastes like regret. I received this bottle as a joke Christmas gift a couple years back - my daughter in law being the prankster. My son found the recipe when I told them they were going to help me drink it - come hell or high water! Basically it is a Last of the Oaxacans -  except you substitute Malört for the Chartreuse! Referencing the recipes in [Parts I](https://poal.co/s/cocktails/725925) and [II](https://poal.co/s/cocktails/726228), here's the mixology: Ingredients 3/4 oz Mezcal (Wahaka) 3/4 oz Malört (pretty sure there are no substitutes) 3/4 oz Maraschino liqueur (Luxardo) 3/4 oz fresh lime juice Lime wedge for garnish Instructions Add liquid ingredients to a cocktail shaker 2/3rds full of ice, shake vigorously, strain into a chilled coupe or cocktail glass, place garnish on the glass rim and viola! This is not as polished as a Last Word or Last of the Oaxacans, but is fairly drinkable if you don't object to substantial bitter undertones. As a matter of fact I'll go out on a limb and state this may be the highest and best use of Malört extant. That said, its definitely a one and done. 3.3/5 Ducks - a passable sipper that makes an occasional appearance. Just don't buy a huge bottle of Malört thinking you'll use it up quickly. Believe they're marketing 50 ml bottles now... ~~~~ Part III wraps up my cocktail adventure. But if you like The Last Word and want to play around with a couple (several) other riffs, [these guys](https://www.diffordsguide.com/encyclopedia/961/cocktails/20-best-variations-on-the-last-word-cocktail) take it to a whole other level. Cheers!