Monkey 47 Gin

About Monkey 47

Monkey 47 Schwarzwald Dry Gin is distilled in Germany's Black Forest using no fewer than 47 different botanicals. For newcomers it's a flavour bomb that explodes on the palate with dominant citrus notes from pomelo, kaffir lime leaves and lemongrass, spiced with lavender, elderflower and hibiscus; for collectors it's notable that the recipe's complexity and the small German distillery's cult status have made Monkey 47 one of the most sought-after and widely imitated gin styles in the world.

History & Background

The name comes from a monkey called Max, who lived at a zoo run by British RAF officer Montgomery Collins after the Second World War. Although the story of Max dates back to the postwar Black Forest, the modern Monkey 47 is a much younger venture. It was entrepreneur Alexander Stein who, in the mid-2000s, rediscovered the tale and, together with distiller Christoph Keller, decided to create a gin that honoured that history with an extraordinarily complex recipe of 47 botanicals. The gin launched in 2009-2010 and quickly earned a reputation as one of the world's most ambitious and imitated gin styles, built around a tiny, artisanal distillery deep in the German forest.

Production & Style

The gin is distilled with juniper and 47 botanicals, including local Black Forest herbs plus exotic ingredients like lingonberry and pomegranate.

Signature Style

Complex, Spiced, Herbal
The taste offers a deep, complex character with spiced and herbal layers.

Facts

Did you know?

The name Monkey 47 comes from a monkey called Max, who lived at a zoo run by a British RAF officer in the Black Forest after the war.

Like Monkey 47 Gin? You should also try:

Trolden Gin, Nordic Gin House and Four Pillars Gin.