Monkey Shoulder ‘Gorilla’
Posted by Andrew Barrow on The Spirit World.
Nicknamed ‘The Gorilla’, Monkey Shoulder Triple Malt Scotch Whisky has just released a limited edition 4.5 litre bottle in time for Christmas. With only 85 bottles available in the UK and each individually numbered this an exclusive gift recipients will go ape for!
Each handsome bottle comes individually numbered and boxed with its very own bespoke cradle and pourer. Created as a unique showpiece, the ‘gorilla’ has evolved not to increase your intake of Monkey Shoulder Triple Malt Whisky but to add a bit of theatre to your cocktail making.
Monkey Shoulder was the name given to a temporary strain that the maltmen used to suffer from repeatedly turning the malting barley with a shiel (wooden shovel). Thankfully the condition no longer exists, but Monkey Shoulder is named in honour of the skill and craft of the maltmen.
“Monkey Shoulder has proved a revelation in the UK’s top bars, bringing Scotch whisky to the forefront of modern cocktail creation. Some of these bars are also in line to have their own ‘gorilla’ on the back bar. But to ensure the condition ‘Monkey Shoulder’ doesn’t reappear in a new guise, bartenders are encouraged to use the cradle when pouring. Top bars playing host to the ‘the gorilla’ include The Albannach (London) and Jakes Bar & Grill (Leeds).”
Monkey Shoulder uses only malt Scotch whisky from three of Speyside’s finest distilleries. The triple malt has caught the attention of the country’s leading bartenders for its smooth and rich qualities, making it ideal for mixing as well as drinking in the more traditional way.
Crafted in small batches of just 27 casks, Monkey Shoulder’s smooth and rounded taste has accents of malty sweetness, vanilla, marmalade and barley sugar. The iconic bottle design comes complete with three brass monkeys - each representing one of the constituent single malts - on the bottle’s shoulder.
The Monkey Shoulder Gorilla is available in the UK at £333 exclusively from Selfridges in London, Birmingham and Manchester.
