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

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.

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)