Today while at work I was looking at my shared calendar with my girlfriend about my days off scheduled for January and I noticed my reminder for next month that it is the anniversary of a friend of mine, who was a roommate for 3 years and like a sister those years, that took her life almost two years ago. Thinking about her in that moment I also thought of her love of Malört. She had lived in Chicago for many years and being the bar fly she was had a lot of Malört over those many years. So today after the reminder of her I thought I'd try to make cocktail using Malört as the base spirit. Honestly, I'm pretty damn pleased with how it turned out. The Malört comes through but is transformed nonetheless very delectably.

I’Il forever have to say fuck you Sarah Katz for taking your life but you were like a sister and we both were not easy to live with but you were so much fun and I loved you.

Cheers to Sarah and to a rather good Malört cocktail!

1.25 oz Malört

.75 oz Maraska Maraschino

.75 oz lime juice

.5 oz cane sugar simple syrup (1:1)

3 dashes Bitter Truth Creole bitters

3 drops saline solution

1 egg white

Dry shake 15 seconds. Wet shake 12 seconds. Or if you are like me I prefer to reverse dry shake: wet shake 12 seconds then dry shake 15 seconds. Double strain. No garnish. Coupe glass.