This is the one.
Universally liked for its complex botanicals, Monkey 47’s name [paid link] celebrates its 47 ABV strength. It also draws attention to the 47 rare and distinct botanicals that pack it with all that flavour. Quite simply, it’s hard to resist. It’s also a bartender’s favourite across the world and for good reason.
Infused with all those botanicals, Monkey 47 inevitably contains some unusual ones that are indigenous to its Black Forest location.
Botanicals foraged from Black Forest
These include spruce tips, verbena, cranberries and sage amongst a whole load more. Its full flavour is reminiscent of older style Dutch gins. And it’s complexity means it goes just as well with a basic standard tonic water as it does with vermouth or bitters. As with all great gins, not only does this one taste great but it has an equally exotic back story. This one involves an RAF pilot, a monkey named Max and lots of foraging in the Black Forest. But more of that in another post.
A thing of beauty
This is a beautiful gin in a beautiful bottle. You’ll pick up mint and eucalyptus on the nose, followed by a blast of Black Forest fruits alongside citrus notes, angelica or a hint of Oak moss. Once you get tasting it you’ll pick up all of its complexity including a blast of smoky incense and a savoury shot of sage. All in all, this is one of the best gins out there. It works well on its own or with a simple light tonic water, poured over ice cubes and garnished with a slice of orange, this one’s for drinking not for sharing!
Bartenders’ favourite
Almost every mixologist who knows his onions will have a bottle of “Monkey” on the shelf behind them. It regularly features on the list of best gins in the world and it’s reputation is well deserved. We think this is one of the most complex, flavour-filled, well balanced gins out there – and we can’t recommend it highly enough!
Prost!
The perfect pour:
- Pour 50 ml of Monkey 47 into a large copa glass.
- Fill the glass with large ice cubes and top up the glass with Schweppes dry tonic water.
- Wipe the rim with a grapefruit slice and garnish with grapefruit zest.
Yum!

Written by Steve (with a little help from Ruddles, the gin dog!)
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