April Fool! Malört "breath mints" touted on social media
CHICAGO (CBS) -- They come in a tin reminiscent of Altoids, and their color might remind one of the ever-popular Fisherman's Friend lozenge – but whether they'll refresh one's breath or help soothe a cough or sore throat might be debatable.
"Malört Sucks" lozenges are touted as the latest in Malört innovation. The print on an image of a tin of 50 breath mints says they are naturally flavored with wormwood, and have a bouquet of flavors some people associate with the strongly-flavored spirit – such as gasoline, burnt rubber, and grapefruit.
If such products sound too good to be true, that's because they are. It was just a clever April Fool's prank posted by Jeppson's Malört on social media.
Jeppson's Malört – of the liquid variety often consumed in shots at neighborhood taverns – was officially introduced in 1933 as Prohibition ended. But its surge in local popularity began not so long ago.
In 2011, Sam Mechling – comedian and a bartender at Paddy Long's on Diversey Parkway – became known for promoting the digestif on social media. As noted on the Malört website, Mechling began selling unlicensed Malört T-shirts the following year – promoting a warning of possible legal action by Carl Jeppson Company owner Patricia Gabelick. But Gabelick instead ended up hiring Mechling instead, the website notes.
Malört quickly climbed in popularity to the point where it was transformed from an obscure spirit to a known as a Chicago rite of passage. Its popularity has gone right on growing.
But again, Malört does not manufacture breath mints. That was an April Fool's joke.