Monkey Shoulder


Monkey Shoulder is a brand of Scotch whisky produced by William Grant & Sons in Scotland. Monkey Shoulder is a blended [malt whisky], one of a small number of whiskies in this style. As of 2023, Monkey Shoulder is the world's third best-selling brand of Scotch whisky, trailing Johnnie Walker and The Macallan. The unusual style was chosen to present an approachable Scotch appropriate for use in cocktails.

History

Monkey Shoulder was introduced in 2003 as a brand of blended malt whisky primarily for mixing, occupying a middle ground between blended Scotch and single malt whisky. Originally a blend from the Balvenie, Glenfiddich, and Kininvie distilleries, its current composition is not publicly known, although its constituent malt whiskies originate from the Speyside region.
The name refers to a repetitive [strain injury] that distillery workers once commonly were afflicted with after long shifts of turning malt by hand.

Whisky Blends