About this whisky

Monkey Shoulder is made entirely from malt whisky, with no grain, drawn from three Speyside distilleries that sit side by side on the William Grant & Sons estate in Dufftown: Glenfiddich, The Balvenie and Kininvie. It is married in small batches of 27 casks, and the name is a nod to the malt men who turned barley by hand on the malting floors, a job so repetitive it could leave one shoulder hanging lower than the other. Since its launch in 2005, it has become a favourite with bartenders.

In the glass it is smooth and generous: orange marmalade, vanilla and milk chocolate on the nose, then a creamy palate of butterscotch, honey and dried fruit, finishing with spicy oak and a hint of mint. It is just as good neat as it is shaken into a cocktail, which makes it a great all-rounder for home bars. A fun, unstuffy gift for friends who like to experiment.

Key facts

• Blended malt of three Speyside single malts: Glenfiddich, The Balvenie and Kininvie
• All three distilleries sit on the same William Grant estate in Dufftown
• Blended in small batches of 27 casks
• Launched in 2005 and designed with mixing in mind

Tasting notes

Nose:

Orange marmalade, vanilla and milk chocolate

Palate:

Creamy, with butterscotch, honey, fruit compote and dried fruit

Finish:

Spicy oak with a hint of mint

Serve

Neat or on the rocks, or in a Monkey Sour: 50 ml Monkey Shoulder, 25 ml fresh lemon juice, 15 ml sugar syrup, shaken hard with ice and strained over fresh ice.

Food pairing

Goes well with Chinese-Bengali favourites like chilli chicken or Tangra-style garlic prawns, and with a cheeseburger.