We won’t sugarcoat it: today, we bring you a drink that sounds, in a word, gross. A combination of tequila, Chartreuse, Jägermeister and egg… basically everything we would normally avoid mixing in a drink, the Death Flip is a bit of an enigma in the cocktail world. Yet, somehow, it works. Not for the faint-hearted, read on if you can hack it (we double-dare you).
This wild cocktail was created by Chris Hysted-Adams at the celebrated Black Pearl in Melbourne’s Fitzroy. As a then-young bartender trying to pay his dues, Chris was keen to learn all he could about the distinctive and, at times, divisive Chartreuse, tequila, and Jägermeister. Eager to pass on his acquired knowledge and love for the unorthodox trifecta, Chris often suggested patrons try cocktails championing them – to which many turned up their noses.
By 2010, frustrated at guests declining his now-seasoned spiel, he decided to create a cocktail showcasing the three spirits resulting in an almost spiked eggnog with complex cinnamon, malt, cookie dough and licorice aromas. Cleverly masking their true identities – with no ingredients listed and bar staff remaining tight-lipped when asked – the menu simply read, “You don’t wanna meet this cocktail in a dark alley”. By enticing people’s intrigue and tastebuds, but leaving their preconceptions at the door, Chris’ Death Flip flipped the switch on the modern bar scene, and the rest, as they say, is history.
