Jägermeister

Rating: 11/23 N: There's a nice aroma of spices. A bouquet, if you will. It's a bit toward the bitter side, but it also has this fresh fragrance to it. I get the highlight from the Jägermeister Cold Brew here - that kind of allspice element mixed with some other, subtle baking spices. There's something flat and syrupy, kind of like cola, going on here as well, but it isn't overwhelming. P: That spiciness is here and it's very enjoyable, but the cola expands into this all-consuming wave of mixed metaphors and bitter syrupiness. It has this unpleasant metallic flavor that overwhelms most of the rest of the character. It's really too bad because there is a fine liqueur at the core here. I keep trying to tap into the nice spice flavors, but the metallic cola braaap is overwhelming. A faint suggestion of mushroom at times. I have to say that the Jagermeister Cold Brew is better because it does not have that oppressive cola element to it. F: The subtle spices tragically disappear. The cola overwhelms with its bitterness and, surprisingly, especially with its sweetness. It reminds me a lot of the finish on a swig of Coca Cola. I have to say that it's the worst part of this drink. I wouldn't want to drink this if I could avoid it, unfortunately. It's a shame because there is so much potential here with the delightful bouquet of spices, but the core of the palate ruins it. I can stomach this, but given the option, I would choose not to drink it. This is substantially inferior to (the surprisingly good) Jagermeister Cold Brew. In my wildest dreams, I can imagine giving this a 13, but really a 12 is the more reasonable cap. A 9 seems like the bottom though. I'm going with an 11 right now. A 10 is the most likely alternative. Show less

Appearance: Translucent mahogany. Aroma: Sweet herbs, licorice, squill candy, anise, toffee. Flavour: Sweet herbal entry, a warming medicinal quality. Lots of licorice root extract, senega, anise, sweet mint, citrus peel, and a caramel background. The palate remains sweet throughout and the texture is pleasant but not rich. This is, amazingly, the first time I've ever tasted Jägermeister, and I have to say it does not deserve the negative press it sometimes receives. If there is unfortunate baggage here, it's due entirely to the liqueur being misused. This is a fine herbal/root extract liqueur with a very sweet character. It does bear a striking resemblance to cough mixture, which might account for some folks' immediate aversion to it. There is a classic old cough remedy that used to be listed in the British Pharmacopeia (sadly it's not anymore) called "Mist. Senega & Ammon. BP" that contains extract of senega root, licorice root, benzoic acid, ammonium bicarbonate, camphor and tincture of creosote. Jägermeister tastes and smells very similar to that medicine, although there are clearly more herbs in its palate. Jägermeister is also not quite as compelling as most of the Italian amari or herbal liqueurs, but it definitely has character and deserves neat tasting. Tasted from a 50ml miniature. I enjoyed it but probably wouldn't buy a whole bottle. "Good" : 83/100 (3.5 stars)

Been a LOONG time since I had any Jager, and even though I went to university in Wisconsin, I managed to avoid Jager shots and toddies and bombs. Mostly. Wisconsin Old Fashioneds?...yeah, I had my share of those. Now I have a Jager mini. Tasting neat, and room temp. Cola color and nose, with licorise and sugar, savory herbs and mint. In the mouth...yeah, there it is. Licorice herbal packed with sugar, more sugar, and just enough ethanol to notice. But then... thin, one and done, and gone quickly. I'm sure drinking this ice-cold is a no-brainer and leaves no afterthought or aftertaste. That's kinda the point I guess. It's like some local US amaros I've tried--high on the cola or root beer flavor and lots of sugar, but low on the bitter that makes real amaros so appealing to sip and mix. Nothing wrong with it, but so much more could be right. Instead of gulping this, I'm going to use the rest in a cocktail: Black Apple Old Fashioned Sother Teague, Amor y Amargo, NYC. 1 1/2 ounces Jagermeister 1 ounce apple brandy 2 dashes apple bitters --- Add all ingredients to an ice-filled tumbler. Garnish with an orange twist if you must. Yeah, would be better with Averna amaro than Jager. Too sweet...like Wisconsin Old Fashioneds.

I probably should be prefacing these before posting them, but this is a tasting from the archive. I felt like I should mention that in particular for this one because my opinion now is much less positive, unfortunately. This digestif is a bit on the sweet side, but is not so sweet that it is unpalatable in any circumstances. Black licorice and a bit of salt hit immediately, but there is more depth than that. The flavor is rich with vanilla and some wood coming through. There is some fruitiness in here and the overall flavor definitely tastes funky, but there are no notes that induce gagging. It is a pleasant way to end an evening of drinking and should be stocked on every shelf for consumption 8n small quantities. The most obvious comparison here is absinthe. It tastes like sweeter and less boozy and harsh absinthe with more of a rootbeer flavor. You won't get drunk on this nearly as quickly as on absinthe (though you will do well for the money, even compared with a cheap absinthe like Mata Hari) and you will consumed more added sugar (I assume). This digestif is clearly also a liqueur but it is clearly also good on its own. I would happily sip this.

Nose - licorice, clove, allspice, citrus zest, ginger, black pepper, cinnamon, cherry, cardamom, star anise, cola, caramel, mild to moderate ethanol burn. Taste - cherry cola, licorice, molasses, ginger, grapefruit zest, cinnamon, clove, allspice, cardamom, black pepper, star anise, mild alcohol bite, finishing long and bitter with licorice, cherry syrup, and baking spice flavors. Smelling this immediately summons some hazy college memories. Licorice, citrus, and baking spices dominate the nose. The palate is how I imagine Cherry Coke syrup would taste if it was steeped in citrus, herbs, and spices for a long time. It’s reminiscent of cough syrup, but just misses being cloyingly medicinal. Overall, this is pretty decent to sip neat, possibly something to have after a big dinner. It’s been long enough since college that my visceral gag reflex upon smelling Jäger has dissipated. I don’t think this will become a staple on my shelf anytime soon, but I have a newfound appreciation of it and welcome the possibility of working it into the rotation sometime in the future.

Do not underestimate this just by itself on a nice big rock. Or rocks. Depending on what you have. With a lemon peel. I think I just found my favorite way to consume Jagermeister. Great in cocktails too. Please don’t throw this in the freezer. All good spirits get dulled when brought down to freezing temps without dilution. This is no different. Only bad booze tastes better chilled in the freezer. Jager has come a long way to being redeemed for me since those disgusting and hazy jager bomb days.