My first Gin Review!

And I think I’ve picked a excellent candidate for that honor:  Monkey 47.  I had been told to keep my eye out for this Gin and when I saw it I jumped at the opportunity to try it.  Now that I’ve tried it I think it just might be my new favorite Gin!

But before I jump into this Gin Review, I should let you all know that I experience this Gin in a very dry and very cold Martini.  So, fair warning, my Gin reviews will be in the context of Martini usage.  After all this blog is about the perfect Martini more than the perfect Gin.

However, if I can persuade the barkeep to let me sample a bit before I order the Martini, I’ll let you know how it tastes at room temperature.  Certainly so if I add a bottle to my own collection.

And now back to the Monkey 47!!

The bottom line is that Monkey 47 makes an excellent Martini.  There are a lot of flavors running around and it’s very hard to pin down exactly what is going on.

The first impression, the aroma that hits you before even taking a sip, is herbal.   Juniper is foremost, then bits of citrus and smooth subtle herbals.  Upon tasting you get some floral notes combined with citrus, some light spices, and more subtle juniper.

The finish is sweet and more fruity.  The juniper almost disappears at this point.

Furthermore, I’ve had a Monkey 47 Martini now several times and the flavor profile seems to change just a bit each time.

There are a couple of interesting items about this Gin.  First it’s German, from the Black Forest region, which of course is”Schwarzwald” in German.   Hence the tag line on the bottle “Schwarzwald Dry Gin”.   Second, it’s 94 Proof or 47% ABV.   Yet that is not the reason it’s called Monkey 47.  Or is it?  Finally this Gin is made from 47 different botanicals!  (See below for the list.)  Including some odd ones like cranberries and some local ones like lingonberries.

Finally, as I’ve purchased a bottle, I can also tell you that I’ve tried it neat.  That was also excellent.   The same flavors that you taste in the Martini are here, though more powerful as they aren’t diluted during the making of the Martini.  While I will continue to drink this Gin as a Martini, I would have no hesitation in ordering it neat if the desire or mood so moved me.

Typical Price:  $45 – $50 for 375 ml.

For those interested in this sort of information, I’ve copied down the major ingredients for your fun and amusement … 47 items in all.    Another interesting coincidence??
Acacia flowers, Acorus Calamus, almond, angelica root, bitter orange, blackberry, bramble leaves, cardamom, cassia, chamomile, cinnamon, lemon verbena, cloves, coriander, cranberries, cubeb, dog rose, elderflower, ginger, Grains of Paradise, hawthorn berries, hibiscus abelmoshus, hibiscus syriacus, honeysuckle, jasmine, Kaffir lime, lavender, lemon, lemon balm, lemongrass, licorice, lingonberries, Mondara Didyma, nutmeg, orris, pepper (six types!), pimento, pomelo, rosehip, sage, sloe, spruce shoots, and of course Juniper berries!!!

You can compare this to a few other selected Gins in the “Botanical Elements of Gin” page of this blog if you’re so inclined.