Monkey Shoulder Bar

It really only struck me as I was trying to explain to a (non-whisky-loving) friend the weekend after this event that I was, to all intents and purposes talking in tongues. “Oh yes – well earlier in the week, I went to a Monkey Shoulder event at Callooh Callay” could just as easily have been “Oh yes – well earlier in the week, I went to a Badger Scapula event at Lorks a Lawdy”. Nonsense. Just nonsense.

 

Anyway – muggle-confusing industry Jargon aside, I’ve been asked by a few people to jot down the recipes and photos from the evening, as it was by all accounts one of the best whisky cocktail events I’ve ever been to.

We’ve long been fans of Monkey Shoulder. As far as blended whiskies go, we’re hard-pressed to think of many others which can match it in terms of high malt content, flavour profile, and ability to hold its own in its price bracket (it is after all about the same price as a ‘cheap’ single malt).

 

I’ve got to confess that until the event, I’d not been to Callooh Callay, or its hidden-upstairs-treat-of-a-bar, the Jub-Jub (in case you’re wondering, both Callooh Callay and Jubjub are references to Lewis Carrol’s poem – The Jaberwocky). The Jub-Jub is a members-only bar accessed through a wardrobe at the back of Callooh Callay (yeah – it is that cool). Rather than have me bang on about how good these are (and they are) – I’d advise you to click through to Gin Monkey’s reviews of both. She’s done a good job.

 

The evening was hosted by Dean Callan, the global brand ambassador for Monkey Shoulder, who it turns out knows his way around a bar…

 

Dean’s recipes are below – I’d especially recommend the Monkey Diablo – I can imagine making this cocktail at a dinner party, and it being most impressive.

 

Also worthy of note was the fact that as well as the version of the Malt Jockey served below (a variant of the classic Jockey Club Cocktail), we also had the opportunity to sample a version of the cocktail that had been aged in a specially made 5 litre cask for a couple of months. The effect of the re-casking, and the oxidation on this cocktail was really quite spectacular. More on this from those handsome devils at the Handmade cocktail company in due course I feel…

 

Anyway – without further ado – the recipes and some nice piccies:

 

Monkey Diablo

 

 

 

 

Ingredients

 

  • Half a bottle of Monkey Shoulder infused with vanilla and cinnamon (approx 80ml per person)
  • 1 orange peeled in a horseneck garnish and studded with cloves
  • 1 pot of freshly brewed coffee (always have enough coffee on hand for 2/3 amount of whisky used)
  • Sugar to taste.

Method

 

Warm the serving dish with a glass of boiling water then discard, add monkey shoulder, vanilla and cinnamon. Set the coffee up next to the dish, then set the orange peel into the centre of the dish fixed at the top to a set of tongs or a bar spoon. Light the whisky on fire, now using a ladle pour the whisky down the peel again and again until the clove and orange flavour has infused with the whisky (carefully!). Once the desired effect is achieved extinguish flame and pour in coffee. Taste the mixture and sugar to taste.

 

Malt Jockey

 

 

 

 

Ingredients

 

Method

 

Stir and strain, garnish with an Orange Twist.

 

Artist’s Special

 

 

 

 

Ingredients

 

Method

 

Shake and strain, twist of orange over the top (and then discard).