Monkey Shoulder Blended Malt Scotch Whisky

Description

Monkey Shoulder is a superb vatted malt of three Speyside malts: Glenfiddich, Balvenie, and Kininvie. This scotch is best thought of as a “triple malt,” and it is an excellent opportunity to taste a distinguishable Kininvie, as it is not available as a single malt.

The name of this scotch originates from an injury suffered by the malt men when turning the barley by hand. Whilst the malt men are among the few who still turn the barley manually, working conditions are now such that, fortunately, the injury has been considered to the past.

On the nose, there are prominent aromas of oak and sherry, accompanied by pear beer, plum brandy, oranges, and cinnamon, as well as hints of buttery toffee and chocolate. The palate offers a tangy sensation that is more pronounced at the edges, with flavors of coconut, heather honey, and a subtle raspberry hint, along with citrus notes. While plum, orange, and pear notes are present, they require some exploration to identify fully. The finish is long and satisfying, characterized by notes of lemons and oranges.