About this liqueur

Jägermeister was created in 1934 by Curt Mast in Wolfenbüttel, a small town in Lower Saxony where his family ran a vinegar and wine business. The name means 'master hunter', and the stag with a glowing cross between its antlers on the label comes from the legend of St Hubertus, patron saint of hunters. The family-owned company still produces it in Wolfenbüttel to a recipe that remains secret.

Its complexity comes from 56 botanicals: herbs, blossoms, roots and fruits, macerated separately in four blends and then matured in oak casks. The result is dark and glossy, with liquorice, star anise, citrus peel, ginger and warm spice, balanced between bitter and sweet, at 35% ABV. Jägermeister is best served ice-cold, straight from the freezer, as a digestif after a rich meal, or lengthened with tonic or ginger ale over ice. A distinctive bottle for any well-stocked home bar.

Key facts

• Created in Wolfenbüttel, Germany, by Curt Mast in 1934
• Made from 56 herbs, blossoms, roots and fruits, macerated separately in four blends
• Matured in oak casks before bottling; recipe kept secret
• 35% ABV; the label shows a stag with a glowing cross, from the legend of St Hubertus

Tasting notes

Nose:

liquorice, star anise, citrus peel and herbs

Palate:

bittersweet and herbal, ginger, warm spice, a little caramel

Finish:

long, warming and gently bitter

Serve

Serve ice-cold (around -18°C, from the freezer) in a small chilled glass, or as a long drink: 50 ml Jägermeister topped with tonic or ginger ale over ice with an orange or lime slice.

Food pairing

A fine digestif after rich dishes like mutton biryani or pork sorpotel, and with German-style sausages or dark chocolate.