New Monkey Shoulder spirit puts taste before age
WILLIAM Grant & Sons has tapped into its experimental side to create a new spirit under its Monkey Shoulder brand.
Fresh Monkey is a blend of new make spirits from the company’s distilleries, featuring two grain spirits and one Speyside malt.
The 40% ABV unaged liquid is described as being similar to a light rum “but with depth and a delicate malty finish”.
It is said to have aromas of a traditional sweet shop – such as pear drops and hard-boiled sweets – with a note of “estery bubble gum”.
Fresh Monkey joins Monkey Shoulder Original and Smokey Monkey in the line-up.
“We’re always looking for ways to mix things up – just like we did when we first launched our Monkey Shoulder Original,” said Monkey Shoulder master blender, Brian Kinsman.
“Now, we are breaking new ground once again with the launch of a new blended grain spirit.
“When developing Fresh Monkey and testing it in many of the top bars around the world, our aim was always to create a unique and refreshing liquid, whilst allowing bartenders to have fun with the spirit.
“We’ve found that Monkey Shoulder Original and Smokey Monkey are perfect mixers for aged spirit cocktails, and so with the launch of Fresh Monkey, we have also added a light spirit for bartenders to play with.”
Global brand manager Anna Szymanska said Monkey Shoulder “is a multi-award-winning brand honoured repeatedly by bartenders and the wider industry”.
“Nearly two decades since it was created, it remains bartenders’ favourite for cocktails,” she said.
“Therefore, Monkey Shoulder’s innovation can be nothing less than a bold proposition that challenges category norms in true Monkey Shoulder style whilst broadening the shoulders of the brand.”
Fresh Monkey is being promoted as ideal for use in a Daiquiri.
Global brand ambassador, Joe Petch, said: “When discussing Monkey Shoulder’s future liquid innovation, we asked ourselves ‘What if the next Monkey Shoulder wasn’t aged?’
“Things got very exciting very quickly and after discussing bartenders’ favourite cocktails, the Daiquiri was obviously mentioned.
“Here at Monkey we love a great Daiquiri, but we don’t make rum – therefore we had to get very creative.”
Early stockists include Edinburgh cocktail bar Panda & Sons as well as Lab 22 in Cardiff, Ugly Butterfly in Cornwall and Callooh Callay in London.
