Monkey Shoulder is a blended malt Scotch whisky from William Grant & Sons, crafted using single malts from Glenfiddich, Balvenie, and Kininvie—no grain whisky in sight. First launched in 2003 as a bartender-friendly alternative to traditional blends, it was aged in first-fill bourbon barrels and blended in small batches to create a smooth, versatile profile ideal for cocktails.
With bold branding that broke away from Scotch’s stuffy image, it became a trailblazer in the early 2000s whisky renaissance. Since then, it’s expanded with variants like Smokey Monkey and Fresh Monkey, keeping the brand fresh and relevant.
Designed for mixing, Monkey Shoulder enhances classic whisky cocktails (where it really excels) like an Old Fashioned or a Whisky Sour. If you're after a whisky that's fun, full of flavour, and has a bit of history behind it, then pick up a bottle of Monkey Shoulder. You won't be disappointed!
Its quirky name nods to a repetitive strain injury once suffered by maltmen turning barley by hand.
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.
Very malty, creamy delivery with a suggestion of berry fruit. Juicy toasted barley, cloves and butterscotch. Manuka honey, hot-buttered-toast and dried apricot develop.
Medium length, spicy oak and a hint of peppermint on the tail.
This is whisky to be enjoyed. According to the Monkey Shoulder website: "Some say it tastes just like riding bareback on the wild moors of Scotland with a flame-haired maiden on Christmas morning. Others agree it tastes like 007 wearing a tuxedo wetsuit."
MS first scotch wife liked that we haved tasted in Scotland
Monkey Shoulder is not a blended Scotch, but rather is what has come to be officially termed a "blended malt Scotch," meaning it contains NO grain whisky, only single malts, specifically Glenfiddich, Balvenie and Kininvie (three of William Grant's Dufftown distilleries). Some of the commenters here may well be tasting the cratur at bottled strength, with predictably disappointing results. Adding even a few drops of unchlorinated water to the whisky has the (usually beneficial) effect of what professional noses call "opening the nose" of the dram. Fundamentally, the slight dilution thus provided changes the relative volatility of the various aromatic components of the distillate, which affects the flavor. Personally, I find Monkey Shoulder to be a liquid substitute for a sweet dessert, and a very satisfying substitute indeed. Kudos to Grant's resident "nose." Keith Töpfer
I received this as a gift from a coworker who visited Scotland two weeks ago. At first I was a little resistant as I had never heard of it before. However, once I got my first taste......I am hooked. The palate is amazing. The flavor are evenly balanced in a smooth, creamy , nutty concoction that will leave you wanting more. I have been a fan of another scotch for the last 32 years. Monkey Shoulder just became my number one poison. Well done.
Just purchased a bottle for the first time. The bottle itself caught my eye and the spelling of Wisky, (not local), plus color and font lending to an underscore of the description from the label and encouraged my purchase. Now,that's the outside. Thought you might want to know what got me try this particular blended Scotch. I will review the inside shortly.
The negative comments here scared me, but when I saw how many positive ones there were, I thought "surely there must be something to this." But now, having tried this whisky, I must say I agree with the negative comments. I'm by no means an expert, but my last 15 or so bottles of scotch have all been single malts from a variety of regions and styles. My palate is more sensitive than it used to be and I can easily say this blended single malt is near the bottom. It has a little smoke, which I like (I'm a big fan of the Islay malts), but here are the downsides: The nose has a sharp "rubbing alcohol" smell (almost reminds me of smoky vodka) that overpowers the other softer notes which may have otherwise been pleasant - for example, there's a little smoke / oak smell, but again - overpowered by the alcohol/vodka. The palate is very similar to the nose - a sharp vodka/alcohol taste as it hits the tongue. There are hints of better flavor underneath that bite, but they're unable to break through. The finish is also unpleasant. It fades very quickly, and I'm left with an unpleasant "alcohol" finish I'd normally associate with a cheap "party" whisky rather than a scotch. Only difference is I get a little bit of oak / smoke. Since this is a single malt blend from some well known distillieries, my thoughts are it was either made from reject barrels and/or extremely immature barrels - aka 1 day over the 3 year minimum :). You get what you pay for, I guess.
