Source: Distillery,

The term ‘monkey shoulder’ harks back to our whisky making heritage. It’s a reference to a condition that maltmen sometimes picked up while working long shifts, turning the barley by hand. It had a tendency to cause their arm to hang down a bit like a monkey’s, so they nicknamed it ‘monkey shoulder’.

Whilst our maltmen are among the few who still turn the barley manually, working conditions have changed which means this injury has been consigned to the past.

Today, the name Monkey Shoulder lives on as an affectionate tribute, to honour the hard graft of all the maltmen past and present. Cheers!

Some say it tastes just like riding bareback on the wild moors of Scotland with a flame haired maiden on Christmas morning. Others agree it tastes like 007 wearing a tuxedo wetsuit. If you haven’t tried either yet but want a handy little cheat sheet to check out, here you go – but remember it’s completely up to you, what you think it tastes like.

Nose: Zesty Orange meets mellow vanilla, honey and spiced oak

Taste: Mellow vanilla with spicy hints

Finish: Super smooth

Whatever you make of Monkey shoulder, it’s amazing on the rocks or bartender to make one of the Monkey Shoulder mixes we have there, or get them to rustle up something they’ve invented. Have a crack at some of them too, as we’ve made sure you don?t have to be a bartender guru to knock these up.