As every year, Gin fans await him like the messiah, the limited edition Distiller’s Cut from the famous Black Forest distillery: MONKEY 47
And for good reason, only a lucky few will have the chance to taste the wonder of Gin made every year by Monkey 47.
Because even if since 2016, the distillery has decided to increase the volumes available for sale from 2,500 to 4,000 bottles of 0.5L, this Gin remains a popular rarity of connoisseurs around the world.
For eleven years now, Monkey 47 has amazed us with its ever more original distiller’s cut. After the mustard one or more recently in 2020 the one aged in Mizunara oak barrels made from trees at least 150 years old, the distillery has decided for this year to add in the manufacture of its Gin a 48th plant!
The 48th plant for a successful Distiller's Cut.
SCARLA MONARDA
This 48th plant, or “rare species” as Monkey affectionately calls it, is the scarlet monarch or “Monarda Didyma” as it is called in Latin. And although the name of this plant sounds like a species that came straight from the depths of Asia, it is not. Indeed, this SCARLA MONARDA, a plant known as bee balm or Oswego tea is native to eastern North America. It is also present on the margins of forest areas. This is precisely where it grows, on a farm just around the corner from the Monkey 47 distillery.
This plant with deciduous foliage has aromatic leaves that when crumpled give off an intermediate scent between bergamot and mint.
As for the manufacturing process, the petals of Monarda are macerated with the 47 traditional plants that make up Monkey 47 and then distilled twice. The Gin is then aged for 3 months and then rectified with spring water. This fresh water comes directly from the Black Forest in order to reduce the alcoholic degree to the desired percentage.
Regarding the taste of Distiller’s cut 2021, the Gin is rather sweet and very elegant with subtle and slightly spicy notes that come from the SCARLA MONARDA. A Gin that is both brilliant and complex, to sip pure or in a Gin & Tonic.
