A super popular German herbal digestif, which was first introduced in 1935 by Curt Mast, the son of a vinegar producer.

The liqueur was first produced in Wolfenbüttel in the Lower Saxony region of Germany. Curt Mast was an avid hunter, and called his new liqueur Jägermeister, which translates as “Master Hunter” and is pronounced ‘Yay-Ger-My-Stir’.

The spirit itself is made to a closely guarded secret recipe, including a total of 56 different herbs, roots, fruits and spices. Whilst the full recipe is undisclosed, we do know that Jägermeister contains: citrus peel, liquorice, anise, poppy seeds, saffron, ginger, juniper berries, and ginseng.

The botanicals are ground to powder, and steeped in water and alcohol for between two to three days. The blend is then filtered and matured in oak barrels for a year, before being filtered again and mixed with sugar, alcohol and caramel (which gives the spirit its distinctive dark colour).

Jägermeister offers flavours of pungent root spice, dried mint, dark chocolate, cinnamon, cherries, cola, lemon zest, treacle, prunes, sloe berries, aniseed, brown sugar, ginger, black pepper and cinnamon. Festive, with a thick, syrupy mouthfeel.

In Germany, this liqueur was traditionally enjoyed as a post-prandial digestif, but since the 1980s the company has shifted to a youth market, with branded ice-cold tap machines found in many bars, selling the liqueur at zero degrees Fahrenheit. The emergence of “Jägerbomb” (dropped into Red Bull) further established it as a party product.

Drinking this spirit ice cold somewhat detracts from its complexity – it can be enjoyed as a classic Amaro or digestif, but also does brilliantly when paired with coffee, and makes for an interesting twist on a Margarita (popularly known as a Jägerita).

Jägermeister’s label is a nod to the patron saint of hunters, Saint Hubertus, and his vision of the crucifix between the antlers of a stag (and not, as an urban legend suggests, because it contains deer’s blood). The text in the green border is by hunter-poet Oskar von Riesenthal and translates as “It is the hunter's honour that he/ Protects and preserves his game, /Hunts sportsmanlike, honours the /Creator in His creatures.”

If you remember this bottling from your student days, it is worth returning to with a mature palate.

• Product type
  Herb Liqueurs
• Distillery / brand
  Jägermeister
• Country
  Germany
• Bottler
  Distillery Bottling
• SKU
  035822