🥃 Monkey Shoulder
Scotch blended malt whisky brand from William Grant & Sons, launched in 2003; a blend of three Speyside single malts; 40% ABV.
Monkey Shoulder is a Scotch blended malt whisky brand made by the family-owned company William Grant & Sons. It was launched in 2003. According to Difford's Guide, it is a blend of three single malt whiskies from one site in Dufftown: Balvenie, Glenfiddich and Kininvie. Strength is 40% ABV.
History. The brand was created to offer an accessible Scotch that also works in cocktails. The bottle neck carries the words Batch 27: according to Difford's Guide, this refers to batches of 27 casks, which was also the blend's internal name during creation. Three brass monkeys on the bottle's shoulder symbolise the three malts.
How it's made. All three malts come from one site on the edge of Dufftown, where they are also blended and bottled. The exact current recipe is not disclosed, but the components come from Speyside. The casks are oak, though their type is not specified in the source. Difford's Guide describes the taste as honey, oak, vanilla and orange with spice.
Range. Besides the core version there is Smokey Monkey, which uses whisky from Highland peated barley, and Fresh Monkey. Check the strength and composition of each version on the label.
Why it matters to you. Blended malt is a mix of malt whiskies only, with no grain whisky, so it is neither an ordinary blend nor a single malt. The name and the words 'blended malt' on the label matter. The WHO reminds us: there is no safe level of alcohol consumption.
Facts
| Year founded | 2003, William Grant & Sons (Dufftown) |
|---|---|
| Legal basis | Scotch Whisky Regulations 2009 (SI 2009/2890) (Blended Malt Scotch Whisky) |
| EU category | 2 — whisky/whiskey |
| Raw material | barley malt whiskies from Balvenie, Glenfiddich and Kininvie (per Difford's Guide) |
| Cask type | oak casks; cask type not stated in the source |
| Minimum maturation | at least 3 years in oak by law; no age statement |
| Alcohol (% vol.) | 40% ABV |
How it connects to Spirits
🥃 Monkey Shoulder → kind of → 🥃 Whisky → kind of → 🥃 Spirits
Links
- Previous step
- 🥃 William Grant & Sons
- Packed in
- 🍷 Oak barrel
- Made from
- 🥃 Glenfiddich, 🥃 Barley and malt in whisky
- What it contains
- 🧪 Water, 🍷 Ethanol
- What it affects
- 🍷 Alcohol and health, 🍷 Drunk driving
- Traditions
- 🧑🤝🧑 British
- Part of
- 🥃 Whisky, 🥃 Blended Malt Scotch Whisky, 🥃 Scotch Whisky, 🥃 Speyside whisky
- Related to
- 🌍 Western Europe
- Similar and different
- 🥃 Johnnie Walker (also a blend, but with grain whisky in it; Monkey Shoulder is all-malt; Johnnie Walker is owned by Diageo), 🥃 Single Malt Scotch Whisky, 🥃 Blending
Frequently asked questions
Is Monkey Shoulder really a single malt?
No. It is a blended malt: a mix of several single malts from different distilleries, with no grain whisky.
Which distilleries are part of it?
According to Difford's Guide, Balvenie, Glenfiddich and Kininvie; the current mix is not officially disclosed.
What does Batch 27 mean?
According to Difford's Guide, a batch of 27 casks; the blend was called that during its creation.
What is the strength of Monkey Shoulder?
40% ABV.
Who created Monkey Shoulder?
William Grant & Sons, a family company that launched the brand in 2003.
What to read next
- 🍷 Alcohol and health — Alcohol in any drink is harmful in large amounts, and the risks grow with the quantity.
- 🍷 Ethanol — The alcohol formed during fermentation that makes you drunk.
- 🍷 Oak barrel — A wooden barrel of oak staves in which wine matures and breathes.
- 🥃 Single Malt Scotch Whisky — Scotch from a single distillery: only malted barley, water and copper pot stills; at least 3 years in oak, 40% vol. or more.
- 🧪 Water — ~87% of milk.
Similar
🥃 Benrinnes · 🥃 Dailuaine · 🥃 Cardhu · 🥃 Auchroisk · 🥃 Loch Lomond Distillery · 🥃 Glen Elgin
⚠️ Spirit drinks contain alcohol and are for adults only. Alcohol harms health. Do not drink during pregnancy or before driving; check the label for ingredients and possible allergens.
Sources
- The Scotch Whisky Regulations 2009 (SI 2009/2890), reg. 3: definition and categories of Scotch Whisky (Scotland, oak up to 700 l, min. 3 years, min. 40 % ABV)
- Difford's Guide: Monkey Shoulder (blended malt from Balvenie, Glenfiddich, Kininvie; batches of 27 casks; 40 %; three brass monkeys)
- Difford's Guide: Monkey Shoulder, the story (launched 2003; William Grant & Sons; Batch 27)
- WHO/Europe: No level of alcohol consumption is safe for our health (04.01.2023)