Monkey Shoulder Scotch

Bill Dowd photo

When William Grant & Sons began producing Monkey Shoulder a few years ago, it quickly became the darling of the UK cocktail scene. I first ran across it during a bar crawl in Edinburgh, Scotland, at Olorosso, an upscale restaurant and cocktail lounge overlooking the city.

• Monkey Shoulder Triple Malt Scotch Whisky

Monkey Shoulder is a bold, smooth whiskey with spice notes and nuances of vanilla and toffee.

It is made from a blend of single malts from the company’s three Speyside distilleries — Glenfiddich, The Balvenie and Kininvie — by malt master David Stewart.

He produces only very limited amounts of the whisky, but you may be able to work with your local spirits seller to order a bottle. It's a perfect blend to use in potent cocktails.

By the way, the origin of the whisky's name comes from a term for a physical injury that was common in the days when distilleries' workers stooped over for long periods of time while turning the malt, causing them to hunch their shoulders.

Suggested retail price: $37 for the 750ml bottle.

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