Pairing Cigars & Alcohol – Jägermeister
Cigars and fine liquor are a natural pairing, enhancing each other’s complexity and depth. Whether it’s a rich whisky, a smooth rum, or a refined cognac, the right drink can elevate the cigar experience, and vice versa. This synergy is so profound that some cigar brands take it a step further, aging their tobacco in liquor barrels to infuse their cigars with unique flavours.
Several iconic collaborations between cigar and liquor brands have emerged from this shared passion for craftsmanship. Maker’s Mark, for example, offers cigars housed in their signature wax-sealed tubes, while Drew Estate has partnered with Pappy Van Winkle and even crafted Kahlua-flavoured cigars in the past. General Cigars has teamed up with Sazerac, resulting in creations like Fireball cigars and Weller by Cohiba, alongside partnerships with Buffalo Trace. Diesel’s Whisky Row cigars, produced in collaboration with Rabbit Hole Distilleries, are another fine example of this harmonious relationship.
Cuban cigars have also embraced this trend, with Cohiba famously collaborating with Martell Cognac. In Europe, Dominique London, a luxury retailer, has gone even further by acquiring a distillery in Wales, producing their own whisky, gin, rum, and other liquors to pair with their cigars.
Pairing cigars with liquor creates a world of possibilities for the discerning connoisseur, allowing both the cigar and the spirit to shine through their complementary flavours. This rich tradition continues to inspire new partnerships and innovations, providing endless enjoyment for enthusiasts.
Jägermeister
Jägermeister, the iconic dark brown digestif, is much more than just a popular party drink. With its roots in Germany and a recipe crafted from 56 herbs and spices, this legendary spirit carries nearly a century of history. First developed in 1934 by Curt Mast, the son of a vinegar manufacturer in Wolfenbüttel, Germany, Jägermeister has maintained its original formula, standing the test of time and taste.
Curt Mast, a passionate creator of liqueurs and an avid hunter, named the drink “Jägermeister,” which translates to “Master Hunter” or “Hunt Master.” The name reflects both his love for the outdoors and the centuries-old German tradition of gamekeeping. Initially positioned as a traditional digestif, Jägermeister’s international success skyrocketed in the 1980s, thanks to Sidney Frank’s innovative marketing campaigns targeting the youth and student market. This repositioning transformed it into a global party staple, without losing its artisanal essence.
Today, Jägermeister’s 35% alcohol content and complex flavour profile make it a versatile spirit—equally enjoyed as a shot, in cocktails, or as a classic after-dinner drink. Join us as we dive deeper into the fascinating story, heritage, and cultural impact of this German masterpiece.
Neat
The nose is pleasant with notes of smoke, toffee, vanilla, spices and oak. Complexed and interesting. The toffee returns in the flavour too, with cocoa, caramel, vanilla, prunes and spices. Just like the nose, the palate is complexed. There is a long smooth and slightly smoky finish. This is the perfect sipping rum for a medium bodied cigar with a Habano wrapper. Most Cuban cigars will go great with this rum too.
Precision Timepiece
Created by Sother Teague in New York at his bar Amor y Amargo, a cocktail bar known for their stirred, not shaken, cocktails and for not using syrups and juices so the alcohol has the stage.
The nose has a sweet herbal aroma to it, but also a cherry note and hints from cola. It reminds me a bit of cherry coke on the nose. The mouthfeel is thick while the flavour is almost medicinal. But I wouldn’t mind this medication, sweet, sticky and herbal, with a mild bitter finish. Very flavourful, very pleasant and this will go well with a nice Habano, Corojo or Cameroon wrapped cigar, although even a (San Andres) Maduro would be possible although that might make the combination too sweet for some.
And now for the Precision Timepiece recipe:
45ml of Jägermeister
22½ml Amaro
22½ml Aperol
Few drops of pimento or orange bitters
Add all ingredients in a stirring glass, stir with ice. Strain into an Old Fashioned glass filled with ice. Garnish with an orange peel and squeeze the oils over the cocktail.
Grizzly Bear
The nose clearly has the cinnamon from the garnish and the almond aroma from the Amaretto with a hint of coffee and herbs. Th drink is creamy, because of the shaken milk and almonds dominate the flavours although it’s not a strong flavour. The coffee liqueur, in my case La Chouffe, and the herbal flavours of the Jägermeister are just supporting flavours. This is a nice, rich, after dinner cocktail that will go great with cigars with cocoa notes such as La Aroma Mi Amor, Crowned Heads Le Pâtissier, Padron 1964 Maduro and so on.
And now for the Grizzly Bear recipe:
30ml Amaretto
30ml Jägermeister
30ml Coffee liqueur
75ml milk
Shake with ice and strain into a Collins glass over fresh ice. Garnish with a cinnamon stick.
Frozen Jagerita
A frozen cocktail that’s a twist on the frozen margarita. You will need a blender for this cocktail to make a slush. On the nose you mostly get Jägermeister but a tad freshness from the lime brightens the aroma up. The first sip brings up the freshness of the lime, but perfectly balanced by the Jägermeister, the simple syrup and surprisingly by the orange liqueur as the orange really shines through. The herbal flavours of the Jägermeister create the perfect backbone for this refreshing and surprisingly tasty cocktail. This will go well with almost any cigar in my opinion, but I smoked an LG from La Flor Dominicana.
And now for the Frozen Jagerita recipe:
45ml Jägermeister
22½ml Triple Sec
22½ml Lime juice
22½ml Simple syrup
Add everything in the blender with plenty of ice. Blend until you get the required consistency and dump into a margarita glass.
Cucumber
On the nose this cocktail has the aroma of Jägermeister but in a muted way because of the Sprite and the ice. It tastes like Jägermeister too, with sprite. Nothing more, nothing less and it’s not really interesting to be honest. Just a mixed drink and I have no idea what the cucumber does except for aesthetical reasons. Any medium bodied cigar will do, I would personally pick a maduro or Connecticut Broadleaf cigar for the sweetness of those wrappers.
And now for the Cucumber recipe:
60ml Jägermeister
Lemon lime soda to top.
4 cucumber slices
Fill a Collins glass with ice. Add the Jägermeister, then add 4 long (not thick but long) slices of cucumber. Top with lemon lime soda, stir gently.
Surfer on Acid
a simple, equal parts cocktail from the 1990s that takes Jägermeister into the tiki atmosphere. The nose is quite odd, with both the herbal aromas and a hint of coconut. I used El Rumba Coconut rum for this drink. The first sip immediately shows that this is one of those 1980’s cocktails that should remain in the 1980s. The 80’s where a bad time for the craft cocktail period and it shows. Unbalanced with clashing flavour patterns of the Jägermeister, coconut and pineapple. The latter two do go together but the addition of the herbal flavours makes this close to undrinkable. Pair this with the strongest cigar you have so you won’t have to taste the cocktail.
And now for the Surfer on Acid recipe:
30ml Jägermeister
30ml Coconut Rum
30ml Pineapple juice
Shake all ingredients with ice in a cocktail shaker, strain in a rocks glass over fresh ice.
