On location: Jägermeister presents debut super-premium edition – ‘9,556 Nights of Exploration’

Family-owned Mast-Jägermeister, which produces the world’s best-selling herbal liqueur, today hosted a memorable launch to celebrate its new super-premium expression, 9556 Nights of Exploration, at company headquarters in Wolfenbüttel, Germany.

The Moodie Davitt Report was on location alongside other travel retail and drinks media. Under the strictly limited release, 1,000 of the 2,500 bottles produced will be available in global travel retail, with an RRP of €560 for 70cl.

The elegant bottle takes its cue from the well-known Jägermeister design, but with some further neat touches that underline its super-premium positioning

From 11 November, 9556 Nights of Exploration will be available at selected airports, including Singapore, Incheon, Mumbai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Frankfurt, Oslo, Copenhagen, Berlin, Amsterdam, Istanbul, Sydney and Johannesburg among others. The new line is also available in 15 domestic markets.

An exclusive presentation pack has been designed for global travel retail, available only at airport stores and on travel retailer ecommerce platforms. The line has an ABV of 40%.

Vice President Products & Quality Dr. Berndt Finke talks about the attributes of the new line through the lens of production process, aromas and barrel aging

In-store displays at airport stores and digital and social media advertising will drive awareness among consumers in airports. There will also be a teaser campaign exclusively for Heinemann & Me members.

9556 Nights of Exploration is also a first in the company’s history because its essence is based on a one-time experiment: Dr. Günther Findel, the son-in-law of Jägermeister inventor Curt Mast, wanted to test how the base of the liqueur would develop when stored for an even longer time. Some 9,556 nights later, Jägermeister bottled this rare product, signalling the debut for the strictly limited herbal liqueur.

Head of Global Brand & Digital Transformation Sven Schindler explains the marketing story and plans for launch on 11 November, led by travel retail. Below, Schindler with artist Mago Dovjenco who created an artwork inspired by the new expression. “I wanted to translate taste in a visual way” said Dovjenco, who hails from Chechnya and has lived in Cologne and Berlin. 

9556 Nights of Exploration has a slightly higher alcohol content than Jägermeister (ABV 35%). It is based on the original herbal recipe and offers a mild aroma. Because of the longer time in the barrel, the characteristic spicy herbal flavours are joined by sweet fruit accents. Caramel and vanilla aromas round off the subtle hints of oak.

9556 Nights of Exploration is best served in a tumbler at room temperature, allowing the spirit’s flavours to develop.

Mast-Jägermeister Vice President Products & Quality Dr. Berndt Finke said: “The arrival of 9556 Nights of Exploration has been a labour of love for those involved in crafting the limited edition. A labour of love that will be enjoyed and appreciated by those lucky enough to secure a bottle.

“Over the past 25 years, the essence has been on a sensory journey: the aroma, taste and appearance of the liquid changed several times until finally, the flavours came together in perfect harmony. I am proud that we are now presenting a brand-new product based on our original recipe developed more than 80 years ago and I am certain Dr Günther Findel would be proud of it too.”

The barrel in the cellar room from which all 2,500 bottles are drawn. The new expression began as an experiment by Dr. Günther Findel, the son-in-law of Jägermeister inventor Curt Mast, who wanted to test how the base of the liqueur would develop when aged.
Florian Eisenblätter, Archivist and Manager of Corporate History at the brand owner, explains the story in the cellar room. Below, Mast Jägermeister Vice-President Global Travel Retail Tobias Witte and The Moodie Davitt Report President Dermot Davitt at the special barrel. 

A special design and packaging were developed. In a departure from the original, Jägermeister chose to forgo a front label for 9556 Nights of Exploration. The 0.7-litre bottle in clear glass allows the rich colours of the spirit to shimmer through, while the back label is printed in Jägermeister’s signature orange.

A handwritten serial number makes each bottle original. In a special twist the story of the limited release is also printed on the inside of the label, and only starts to appear when the bottle is opened and the liquid is enjoyed. Each of the globally available 2,500 bottles is packed in a shock-resistant wooden box.

Further images from the cellar room, where the new line was aged

To mark the launch, Berlin-based artist, Mago Dovjenco created his own interpretation of the new release. Inspired by the character and history of 9556 Nights of Exploration, he created a large-format oil painting “as a tribute to the creativity and spirit of discovery” driving the new product.

Inside the cap, a QR code gives the owner of the edition access to a unique digital version of the original painting as a non-fungible token (NFT).

Mast Jägermeister Vice-President Global Travel Retail Tobias Witte said: “This is a ground-breaking launch, combining cutting-edge digital art and technology with artisanal skills and celebrates the spirit of innovation and exploration.

“This special variation reinterprets the characteristic flavours of the iconic Jägermeister spirit and we look forward to sharing this very special product with consumers on the hunt for exceptional taste experiences. 9556 Nights of Exploration offers consumers the joy of discovery and is very much part of Jägermeister’s mission to provide the Best Nights of your life – today and tomorrow.”

Witte later told The Moodie Davitt Report: “As a brand we are always working to show the product intrinsics and craft. This aged product helps us tell this story and we are proud to spearhead this in travel retail, which is a window to the worldwide fan base.”

He added: “If we look at growth in APAC and the affinity to super-premium products, it fits right in there. The other key region is Europe, where we have a loyal base so we will see the consumer appetite there too.

“We always take pride in being a disruptor. Launching a limited edition and asking consumers to open it rather than keep it or resell it, that is a little twist on the super-premium launch.

“We have never had a limited edition or super-premium line at that price position, so it’s a chance to tap into predominantly whisky-led high-end spirits.”

Taste test: Guests enjoyed a sampling of the limited edition conducted by Global Brand Ambassador Nils Boese

Head of Global Brand & Digital Transformation Sven Schindler told The Moodie Davitt Report that rather than counting on an age statement for the brand, the company and brand focus on having the ‘best nights’ led it to reflect the number of nights aging the new expression – 9,556.

“We wanted to do something different, number of nights, not number of years.”

On the move to premiumise, he added: “It’s exciting and scary at the same time. We have done it in a premium but still a very Jägermeister way. It ties into the area of art, which helped with the inspiration for the packaging and the collaboration with Mago the artist, as a vehicle to explain the taste. That is not an easy thing to achieve but has been done in a playful way. We have great story telling in place.”

Schindler also hinted that further limited editions will follow, with details likely to follow next year.

Explaining the significance of the barrel ageing to guests, Mast-Jägermeister Archivist and Manager of Corporate History Florian Eisenblätter said: “Some of the barrels in our barrel room are almost 90 years old. Today we have a very special barrel with 26 year old aged liqueur. It was the brainchild of Dr. Günther Findel, whose father-in-law owned the company. He was very interested in the process of production, after he took over the technical management in 1970. Since then he stood for scientific precision and how to evolve the processes. He was especially fascinated by the cultural sciences and agriculture.

“This barrel came about because he was fascinated what would happen if the Jägermeister base was stored for years, as opposed to months.

“In an analytical and systematic way he tested the base annually in this barrel. That began in the 1990s and today, 9,556 nights later, we can say that yes, the Jägermeister base did change after all that exploration.

“Dr. Günther Findel cannot see the results – but he would be proud and curious about what happened with this exploration that he began.”

Earlier in the day, guests were invited to discover the intriguing story of how Jägermeister racing cars wrote motorsport history in the 1970s with their special orange livery and connection to some of the most famous racing drivers in the world. Here, Archivist Florian Eisenblätter explains the significance of the history and the brand connection to the sport. 
Media guests join Jägermeister representatives at the Rennmeister showcase. Below, Dermot Davitt gets into gear with one of the famous orange-liveried power cars. 

*According to IWSR Top 20 Premium Spirits brand lines 2022, Jägermeister is the eighth-largest premium spirits brand line in travel retail. ✈

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