Ingredients
- .5 oz Gin
- .5 oz Light Rum
- .5 oz Tequila
- .5 oz Triple Sec
- .5 oz Vodka
- .5 oz Jager Herbal Liqueur
Instructions
- Combine gin, light rum, tequila, triple sec, vodka, and Jager herbal liqueur in a cocktail shaker filled with ice.
- Shake vigorously until the mixture is thoroughly chilled.
- Strain into a cocktail glass.
Notes
Estimated Nutrition:
Where it came from
The Darth Vader Cocktail is a 2010s Star Wars novelty cocktail in the same lineage as the Death Star Sour and the Dark Side. The build uses the five clear spirits common in a Long Island Iced Tea and adds Jagermeister for the dark herbal-and-spice character that gives the drink its colour.
It sits in the multi-spirit cocktail family with the Long Island Iced Tea, the Adios MF, and the Bullfrog. All four lean on five or more spirits in small pours. The Darth Vader picks Jager as the sixth and signature ingredient, which is what makes the drink darker than its cousins both visually and on the palate.
Best ordered at a Star Wars themed bar, on May the Fourth, or as a strong-pour novelty at any setting where six small spirits poured at once is the joke.
What it tastes like
Citrus and orange from the triple sec up front, herbal sweetness from the Jagermeister in the middle, four-spirit warmth on the finish. The Jager carries the bittersweet character that pulls the drink toward an old-fashioned bitter-cocktail family rather than the sweet-fruit shooters.
Around 28 percent ABV in the cocktail glass once shaken with ice. Six half-ounce pours plus dilution from the shake gives a real two-and-a-half standard drinks per glass. Strong, not sippable in a hurry.
The technique
Combine half an ounce each of gin, light rum, tequila, triple sec, vodka, and Jager in a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake vigorously for ten seconds. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass.
Use silver tequila, light rum and a London Dry gin so the dark Jager carries the colour cleanly. Aged spirits muddy the visual.
Drink Buddy Exclusive
Tell us what's in your cabinet.
Our Cocktail Builder takes whatever bottles you've got and hands you every drink you can actually make tonight.
Open the Builder →Get the Drink Buddy newsletter
One drink, one tip, one Tuesday a month.
Plus the recipes we drop before they hit the site. Zero spam.
Ingredient Spotlight
The bottles that make or break this drink.
The Jagermeister
- Use
- Standard Jagermeister at 35 percent ABV.
- Skip
- Other herbal liqueurs like Becherovka. Different flavour profile.
- Why
- Jager is the colour and the signature flavour. The 56 herbs and spices give the cocktail its bittersweet bite that distinguishes it from a clear five-spirit Long Island.
The triple sec
- Use
- Cointreau, Combier, or Bols Triple Sec.
- Skip
- Cheap orange syrup. Loses the alcohol weight.
- Why
- Triple sec is the brightener. It carries the orange-peel notes that combine with the Jager herbal element to keep the cocktail from drinking like a six-spirit warmer.
The five clear spirits
- Use
- Standard call-bar bottles: Gordon's gin, Bacardi white rum, Jose Cuervo Silver, Smirnoff vodka.
- Skip
- Premium aged spirits. The mix hides the quality.
- Why
- The five clear spirits compete for the palate. Standard bottles do the same job at a fraction of the cost; the Jager and triple sec carry the flavour.
Three Variations
Three real ways bartenders riff on this drink. Same idea, three different jackets.
The standard build
- Darth Vader, shaken and up
- Six ingredients shaken with ice, strained into a chilled cocktail glass.
The on-the-rocks build
- Darth Vader, on ice
- Same build, served over a single big cube in a rocks glass instead of strained up. Slightly more dilution as the drink sits.
The Sith variant
- Darth Vader, with cola
- Add an ounce of cola to the build before shaking. Pulls the drink closer to a Long Island Iced Tea Dark Side variant. Drinks longer.
What if I don't have…
Quick substitutions for when the bottle shop is closed.
Becherovka or Underberg as a herbal substitute. The colour shifts but the bittersweet character holds.
Grand Marnier or Cointreau. Both work. Grand Marnier adds brandy depth; Cointreau is cleaner.
Reposado works. Skip aged anejo; the wood notes fight the Jager.
A coupe or a small rocks glass. The drink does not require the conical glass; the chill is what matters.
Frequently Asked Questions
Direct answers to what people search for after Googling this drink.
What is in a Darth Vader Cocktail?
Half an ounce each of gin, light rum, tequila, triple sec, vodka, and Jagermeister, shaken with ice and strained into a chilled cocktail glass. Six ingredients.
How strong is a Darth Vader Cocktail?
Around 28 percent ABV in the cocktail glass once shaken with ice. Six half-ounce pours give a real two-and-a-half standard drinks per glass.
What does a Darth Vader Cocktail taste like?
Citrus and orange from the triple sec up front, herbal sweetness from the Jager in the middle, four-spirit warmth on the finish. Bittersweet rather than fruit-forward.
Why is it called a Darth Vader?
Named for the Star Wars villain. The Jager gives the drink its dark colour, which mirrors the character's black robe and helmet. The cocktail is a 2010s addition to the Star Wars themed bar canon.
Can I make it without Jager?
Add Becherovka or Underberg in equal measure. The cocktail loses some of the herbal-and-spice complexity but the dark colour and the bittersweet character remain.
Should I shake or stir?
Shake. The shake combines and chills the six spirits and adds the dilution that takes the cocktail from a hot pour to a drinkable cocktail.
Can I use cola instead of triple sec?
Adding cola makes a different drink (a Sith Long Island variant). Triple sec is the orange brightener that ties the Jager and the clear spirits together.
What glass should I serve it in?
A chilled cocktail glass is standard. A coupe also works. The cocktail is around three ounces of strained drink and fits comfortably.
Can I batch it for a party?
Combine the six spirits in equal measure in a chilled bottle. Refrigerate. Shake portions with ice at service.
What other cocktails are similar?
A Long Island Iced Tea, a Death Star Sour, an Adios Motherfucker, and a Bullfrog. All four lean on multiple spirits in small pours.
More Like This
More drinks in the same family when the night calls for them.
