If You Fancy Jägermeister, The Jägerita Is For You

We won't waste your time by arguing that Jägermeister is not the preferred spirit of fraternity bros everywhere. But its reputation doesn't do it justice. 

When the holiday season rolls around and/or you find yourself in a cabin surrounded by dense woods and wooly cardigans, there's no finer feeling than knocking back a shot of the oak-matured amaro. It tastes like a holly-strung fireplace looks: warm, woody, verdant, festive, and a little whimsical, with a licorice-y sweetness that differentiates it from its more sophisticated sibling, fernet. 

In an era that counts MSG martinis and other inventive takes on classic cocktails as de rigeur, why not let Jäger see beyond the shot glass for once? The Jägerita, a take on the margarita that replaces tequila or mezcal with Jägermeister, does just that. Here's how the unlikely tipple came to be and how to make it at home. 

Margaritas make us think of sunny days, while Jägermeister is a decidedly wintry drink. To that end, the Jägerita might be the perfect cocktail to have in hand as chilly days give way to spring. Punch deemed the Frankensteinian beverage a "modern classic," and for good reason. 

Jeffrey Morgenthaler, a bartender from Portland, Oregon, told Punch that it was "the best drink [he'd] ever had in [his] life" when he first tasted it at a bartender event in London in 2008. Though he didn't invent it, he may have played a role in popularizing it through a recipe on his blog, which he published shortly after returning home. 

The blended cocktail is no more complicated than a standard marg. Morgenthaler's version features an ounce and a half Jägermeister, three-quarters of an ounce of Cointreau, lime juice, and simple syrup. He throws the ingredients into a blender, adds some crushed ice, blends until smooth, and garnishes it with a lime wheel. 

Cocktail Chemistry YouTube creator Nick Fisher features both shaken and blended versions of the Jägerita. Both use the same ingredients as Jeffrey Morgenthaler's recipe, with some slight measurement tweaks. 

"My god, this drink is excellent," Fisher says after taking a sip of the chestnut-hued shaken version, which he pours into a coup glass. He notes the complimentary flavors of the Jägermeister and the Cointreau, both of which boast notes of orange peel. The term "Jägerita" is catchy, but Fisher clocks the drink as more of an "amaro sour."

The blended version comes out looking like a honey-colored slushie, which he pours into a double rocks glass and garnishes with a lime slice. The ice mutes the complex flavors of the amaro ever so slightly, Fisher says, which makes for an excellent summer sipper that's "definitely more interesting than a regular frozen margarita."