Is Jagermeister an Amaro? And What is it?

No, Jagermeister is not (technically) an Amaro even though both drinks are dark in color and both are bitter tasting and have many spices as ingredients, Jagermeister is actually a spicy schnapps. But because of its bitter taste, other feel is should be included as an Amaro and some even use it to replace an Amaro in recipes. So yeah, this simple question isn’t all that simple!

Jagermeister is a type of liqueur made from a variety of herbs and spices, but it does not fall into the strict amaro category.

Amari are Italian liqueurs created by macerating a mixture of herbs, spices, fruits, and other ingredients in alcohol. Averna and Fernet-Branca are the two most popular brands. In contrast, Jagermeister uses an infusion technique to extract flavor from its 56 different botanical ingredients.

Its recipe is also more closely aligned with schnapps than with amari. It has sweet flavors of licorice root, ginger and star anise as well as bitter tones coming from peppermint oil and cardamom among other ingredients.

Furthermore, while amaris typically have low ABV levels (usually around 20-30%), Jagermeister is usually bottled at 70 proof or 35% ABV which gives it a higher alcohol content than what you would find in traditional amari.

Given that it is a type of bitter liqueur created with a combination of herbs, spices, and other botanicals, Jagermeister is regarded as an amaro.
The word “amaro,” which is Italian for “bitter,” describes a group of liqueurs that are frequently sipped as a digestif following a meal.

A unique mixture of 56 different herbs, fruits, roots, and spices is used to make Jagermeister. Ginger, star anise, citrus peel, and cinnamon are a some of the components utilized in Jagermeister. Before being combined to make the finished product, these ingredients are macerated and distilled.

For a list of Amaro alternatives