Monkey 47 Schwarzwald Dry Gin Review – The Gold Standard

Monkey 47 Schwarzwald Dry Gin is an outstanding example of a beautifully balanced yet complex, smooth Dry Gin.

ABV: 47%
Distillery: Black Forest Distillers
Price: £35.89
Recommended Garnish: Lime
Notable Botanicals: Juniper, Angelica, Coriander, Elderflower, Hibiscus, Citron Verbena, Pimento, Spruce
Website: monkey47.com
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Monkey 47’s History

The story of Monkey 47 begins in the 1940s, where Wing Commander Montgomery “Monty” Collins of the Royal Air Force was posted at the British sector of the then divided Berlin. Following the war Monty moved to an isolated valley in the Black Forest and begins following tradition of distilling the local fruit, following this then comes his passion and he starts developing his own gin. Monty combined the historic tradition of the Black Forest’s fruit liqueurs with his passion for gin. The gin was the trademark of the “The Wild Monkey”, a country guesthouse Monty opened in the Northern part of the Black Forest, which remained the trademark of “Wild Monkey” until the 1970s.

Well over a third of Monkey 47’s ingredients come from the Black Forest, Germany, where there are a total of 47 handpicked ingredients which are then prepared in their soft water spring within the Black Forrest. Amongst the botanicals are coriander, dog rose, elderflower, ginger, liquorice, rose hip, hibiscus, honeysuckle, jasmine, lavender, lemon balm to name just a few, as well as 6 different types of pepper.

Monkey 47 Tasting Notes

Nose:
Wide sensation of the array of 47 ingredients, very complex. Hints of earthy, citrus, almost fruitful notes followed shortly after with light hints of sweetness.
Palate:
There’s a lot going on, a wave of complexity hits your palate which is beautifully balanced. From the juniper and pepper, which follows through to an array of fruits, spices, flowery and pine notes.
Finish:
Very smooth on the finish, hints of earthy woody tones.

Serving Recommendation

Due to its beautiful complexity, Monkey 47 is meant to be served neat. It tastes beautiful served over ice, however we know over 98% of places serving this gin will do so with tonic! As a serving suggestion we’d recommend a crisp Premium Indian Tonic, such as Fever Tree’s Plain Indian Tonic water, ideally no more than 1 part Monkey 47 and 2 parts tonic to keep intact the flavours and complexity this gin brings to the table.

Overall

It’s hard to deny Monkey 47 is one of the best gins out there. With each sip we notice it’s possible to experience new flavours and aromas which isn’t surprising given how complex it is. This gin is certainly one for the collection with the only downside being the price, in some places it can be as high as £47, however we found it on Amazon for much cheaper, which can be seen on the link below.

Buy Monkey 47
Buy Fever Tree Premium Indian Tonic