Monkey 47 Dry Gin

Complex, herbal but not cloying, floral yet dry, a perfect balanced gin for sipping or martinis

Complex and pleasant.

Firstly: Do NOT try to drink this out of a Glencairn. I’m certain you will not enjoy it. Nose presents like any other gin, as in juniper and alcohol. But take a slightly different approach, put your nose all the way into the glass and breath through your mouth and you’ll discover a world of oily citrus and an arboretum. This nose is as deep and complex as any bourbon and many Scotches. The palate is also quite wonderful…a rich, oily, cornucopia of flavors. Lemon, lime, grapefruit…hell, the whole citrus family is present and demanding that you pay attention. And while citrus leads the way, it’s not the whole show because this has more intricate flavors to hunt through than a well-stocked spice rack. I’d love to say I could identify most of them, but it would be a lie. I can find cardamom, basil, sage, rose, lavender and thyme, and it’s all supported by an unobtrusive juniper background. There’s impressive depth to this, and every sip was a new flavor. Finish is oily citrus/juniper, and lingers longer than expected. This is great neat, very, very good in a martini (go light on the brine), and makes the best G&T I’ve ever had. And a note of caution; I started this review with 2oz in the glass, and it’s now gone…which means this is also dangerously easy to drink. I never thought I’d spend $90 on a bottle of gin, but I’m quite happy that I have. This has earned a spot on my top shelf and will remain a semi-permanent fixture in my house.

The nose reminds me of poking cloves into an orange at the holidays as a child. There are other citrus notes of lemon, lime and grapefruit. There are also hints of pine, mint and fresh burdock root The palate starts ethanol and almost ether heavy but calms down after resting in the glass for 15-20 minutes. The citrus notes come though as orange peel muddled in malic acid. Cloves, cardamom and hints of cinnamon also come through The finish is pine nuts and bitters along with a hint of white pepper. This sets the bar for Gin!

I lack the words to fully express the wonderful nature of this gin, but I will note this is the only gin I would recommend sipping neat over a cocktail, if only due to the price. If you've a friend who says they can't find a gin they enjoy, this is a great option to help cut their teeth. Nothing is overwhelming, yet it is loaded with subtle flavours and aromas.