Jagermeister in German means "master of the hunt" in the sense of "expert" or "committed" hunter. The exact list of the 56 herbs used is kept secret. Although licorice is a major component of its flavor, it is not as predominant in Jagermeister as it is in true licorice flavored liquors. Contrary to urban legends, Jagermeister contains neither deer blood nor opium.
In 1934, the recipe for the herbal liquor was developed and the product was introduced to the German market in 1935. The original purpose of this concoction was medicinal and was used to cure everything from an incessant cough to digestive problems. In Germany, it is still widely recognized as a digestif and is kept in many German households for such purposes.
