Monkey Shoulder

 

A few years ago this one was recommended to me by a friend of mine. Recommended as really fantastic. As I said before, back in those weird times I didn’t enjoy whisky, and probably I didn’t enjoy Monkey Shoulder as well. I just don’t remember. One whisky didn’t differ much from the other, so there was not much room to elaborate. Be sure I told my friend it was a fantastic one. I’m a good man.

The guy is a massive whisky fan, simply loves his drinks and amongst the preferred ones he would list Red and Black Label, Jack Daniels, Chivas and Grant’s. He’s got his way of drinking whisky, the thing you have to adore, especially if you are also a big whisky fan. Trick is to pour stuff into the highball glass, up to two-thirds and fill up the rest with Coke, Pepsi or actually whatever is in the fridge. Classic drink, full of flavour and very strong. Is it possible not to enjoy that, if you are a man? Man in your forties, with a beer belly and forty pounds above your recommended BMI level?

This time I got a bottle Monkey with full premeditation, as I wanted to give it another chance, and consciously discover all the things I possibly missed. First, I was really surprised that Monkey Shoulder is a blend of malt whiskies. It is.

Back in time I didn’t know anything about malt, grain, types, varieties etc, and it didn’t matter, as all of them bloody whiskies were equally hard to swallow for me. What I discovered written on the bottle surprised me, and I was looking forward to trying what’s inside. Plus, the bottle itself, chunky and stylish, with its signature three little monkeys, looks quite nice, and not childish at all.

Surprise again. Monkey Shoulder is a decent whisky. Apparently, it's “made with single malts from three famous Speyside distilleries. The result is a smooth, creamy, supple and very malty Scotch (...)”. I do agree. I really like it and I drink a third bottle now. Whisky is very malty indeed and quite oaky. It has dried fruit notes and generally is full of flavour. Pleasure to sniff and quite smooth to drink. Goes down really well and gives you this nice, long-lasting aftertaste I do enjoy. Not so bad for £22, huh?

Nice and short this time. One more thing to say. Quotation, straight from the “Masters…”: “Nose: An elegant, stylish nose of marmalade, Crema Catalana (apologies, but it really is there), cocoa and malt. Plenty of vanilla and a sprinkling of winter spice (nutmeg, cloves and cinnamon) alongside a mouth-watering hint of aniseed.” Apologies, buddy, but it really is not there. Thumbs up for the malt, though.

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