Admittedly, it appears somewhat eccentric to claim that a recipe of gin has the power to unite great British traditions, the spices of India, and the rich landscape of the Black Forest. And yet it is precisely this…
Thank you for your interest in Monkey 47. In this area, you will find picture files which have been released for publication. Please print copyright note "Monkey 47" and send specimen copies to: Black…
So this bit is just for the absolute newbies. Everyone else is already well aware of our motto “same same, but different”, so we’ll just summarise it briefly here: botanical curiosity, obsessive pursuit of unpar…
There’s an old saying that goes “softly, softly, catchee monkey”. But what if you don’t like waiting? Well, you no longer have to, as we’re now giving you the chance to experience what was previously reserved for a select fe…
Ingredients: makes 2 braids For the dough 1 kg all-purpose flour 400-450 ml milk 40 g fresh yeast 150 g sugar Zest of one lemon 5 g salt 2 egg yolks 60 g butter 60 g lard For the hazelnut filling 3 eggs 160 g…
The art of distillation goes hand in hand with chasing aromas and rendering them in liquid form – although alcohol is merely the medium, not the actual goal of the process. Meanwhile, the world of spirits is d…
Ingredients 4 cl MONKEY 47 Experimentum Series 2y09 : Rome 3.5 cl MONKEY 47 Sloe Gin 5 cl Lillet Rose 1 barspoon Salted Caramel Syrup with Vanilla 5 drops Balsamico Vinegar Cacao Powdered Sugar Preparation Mix…
In the heart of Italy, you will find Perugia, a city famous for its breathtaking scenery, historic charm, and delicious chocolate. Let our Perugia Sour take you on a journey to this charming corner of Italy.…
The Monkey Gland is not the typical drink name and it's origin is, well, interesting. First of all there are two possible authors of the Monkey Gland cocktail. The first is Frank Meier – legendary bartender at the R…
Black Forest Distillers, in its role as Data Controller, respects your right to privacy when you use our digital media (such as our websites, our mobile applications, our pages on the social network, any online…
Introducing the Swabian Plum Cake, or "Zwetschgenkuchen" – a beloved treat that carries with it the warm and comforting nostalgia of late summer afternoons. This delectable cake is a hallmark of family g…
Vallières’ Secret, our signature drink, was inspired by the Great Canadian Maple Syrup Heist, which happened just over a decade ago and during which nearly 3,000 tonnes of maple syrup were stolen from a large st…
The inspiration for this cocktail and its name comes from the 90s TV Series “Due South”, which aired under the name “Ein Mountie in Chicago” in Germany. The show follows a modern-day Dudley Do-Right, Constable Benton …
Same same, but different – actually, hold on a minute. After so many years, why don’t we spare you the detailed introduction and just briefly formulate the essentials: botanical curiosity, obsessive pursuit of unp…
As the name says, this worldly-known cake comes from our beloved Black Forest. So, we couldn't help but show you how to prepare this rich cherry chocolate piece - with a Monkey 47 touch, of course. Ingredients For…
Ever wondered how to make the ultimate German sausage sandwich? Ja? Wir auch! That’s why we invited renowned British chef, sandwich expert and sausage guru Max Halley over to our home in the Black Forest. After e…
Ingredients 3 cl Monkey 47 Experimentum Series 2y08: Mexico City 2 cl clarified prickly pear puree 2,5 cl vermouth bianco Hoja skeleton & edible flowers Preparation Stir the Experimentum Series 2y08, the…
The art of distillation goes hand in hand with chasing aromas and rendering them in liquid form – although alcohol is merely the medium, not the actual goal of the process. Meanwhile, the world of spirits is d…
Information in accordance with section 5 TMG Black Forest Distillers GmbH Äusserer Vogelsberg 7 72290 Loßburg/24-Höfe Germany Represented by Gregory Chevillat Contact Telephone: +49 (0) 7446 91 76 60 Telephone (D…
Springerle are wunderbar traditional holiday cookies from southern Germany that are made using a special cookie mold. They have a delicate, crisp texture and are known for their unique and distinctive appearance.…
Enjoy with us a Monkey 47 Grog. Ingredients 4 cl Monkey 47 Schwarzwald Dry Gin 1 cl Islay Whisky 1 tsp. Honey 1 tsp. Apricot jam Fill up with Chamomile tea Preparation Heat up all ingredients, stirr it until the…
Since we’ve been doing this for more than a decade now, let’s dispense with the usual introduction … All right, all right – a quick run-through for the newcomers: botanical curiosity, obsessive pursuit of unparal…
With this signature serve we pay homage to age old traditions, this is our take on the ‘Waldmeister Bowle’ or ‘Maibowle’, a traditional spring refreshment in celebration of the spirits of the forest. Situated only a stone…
The art of distillation goes hand in hand with chasing aromas and rendering them in liquid form – although alcohol is merely the medium, not the actual goal of the process. Meanwhile, the world of spirits is d…
The ‘Dresdner Allerlei’, a reimagined classic French 75 and brainchild of renowned innovative Bartender André Pintz of Imperii Bar, Leipzig. This tipple is a union of ingredients and flavours of the former East and the …
Collab drops April 30th in the following retail stores! Check local stores for drop times!
Monkey47 and A Bathing Ape (BAPE), two giants icons in the world of luxury craftsmanship within their own fields of Craft Gin and street wear fashion, have joined forces to create an exclusive capsule collection.…
Ingredients 5 cl Monkey 47 Schwarzwald Dry Gin 2.5 cl Lime juice 8 cl Genmaicha tea 2 cl Simple syrup 4 cl Soda water 1pc. Rice cracker Preperation Build in your favourite highball glass over ice and garnish with a…
A fluffy soft yeast dough that no Swabian can resist – cinnamon, walnuts, marzipan … Need we say more? Ingredients For the dough 250 ml milk 20 g fresh yeast 75 g sugar 1 egg 1.5 tsp sea salt 500 g flour 75 g sof…
In the true style of la dolce vita, the classic Negroni cocktail is served as an apéritif and gets its name from the Italian bon vivant and Count Camillo Negroni. The origins of the drink trace back to around 1920 …
The art of distillation goes hand in hand with chasing aromas and rendering them in liquid form – although alcohol is merely the medium, not the actual goal of the process. Meanwhile, the world of spirits is d…
Ingredients 2 cl Monkey 47 Schwarzwald Dry Gin 2 cl Lillet Blanc 2 cl Blue Curaçao 2 cl Lemon Juice Absinth in Spray bottle Lemon zest Preparation Shake all ingredients with ice and strain into a chilled coupette …
For us, big, heavy furniture; lots of mahogany; leather-bound books; columns of polished marble; and the soft light of a flickering fireplace bring to mind the unique atmosphere of a dignified home library or a…
The art of distillation goes hand in hand with chasing aromas and rendering them in liquid form – although alcohol is merely the medium, not the actual goal of the process. Meanwhile, the world of spirits is d…
Monkey 47 Schwarzwald Dry Gin / Barrel Cut, Smoke House Cut, Distiller's Cut 2019, 2020, 2021
Driven not just by our oft-cited botanical curiosity, but rather by our practically obsessive pursuit of the utmost quality, those of us at Monkey 47 embark each and every year on a search for the right 48th…
Ingredients 4 cl Monkey 47 Distiller’s Cut 2021 2 cl fresh lemon juice 2 cl fresh pink grapefruit juice 1,5 cl runny honey* Dash orange bitters Preparation Shake all ingredients over ice and strain into a coupette G…
The art of distillation goes hand in hand with chasing aromas and rendering them in liquid form – although alcohol is merely the medium, not the actual goal of the process. Meanwhile, the world of spirits is d…
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"A resurrected technical monument of national importance" is how the town of Vöhrenbach in the Breg valley refers to its Linach valley dam. In actual fact, it is even under heritage protection because it …
“Up there – you can see it better from here,” Karin Walther says as she points skyward. “There’s a bit of the trumpet and some of the wing that sticks out.” We’re standing in the middle of Freiburg’s historic centre on Münst…
Subject to your consent when required by applicable law, our website use cookies and similar technologies (“cookies”). This Cookies Policy (the "Policy") describes how Black Forest Distillers GmbH, a cor…
They say that even the longest journey starts with a single step. In this case, it was just one word: Ulaanbaatar! The name had been echoing through my head like the guttural war cry of a fierce warrior on…
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Once an international villain by trade, Mr Blofeld now lives a secluded life in the northern Black Forest, where he has been running a highly successful Ayurvedic cat salon for four years. We recently managed to…
Ingredients (serves four) For the batter 500 g flour 1/3 l beer Pinch of salt 30 g sugar 3 Tbsp. vegetable oil 4 egg whites 1/3 l vegetable oil 5 crisp sour apples Preparation To make the batter, stir all the…
En buntes Gschmisch an Hergottsbscheißerle. Or, for all those who don’t come from Schwabenland: variations on the Maultasche! One of the most beloved Swabian specialities, Maultaschen are a product of the season of Le…
Ingredients 40ml Monkey 47 Barrel Cut 20ml Sweet Vermouth 20ml Campari 2 Dashes of Chocolate Bitters Preparation Stir over ice and strain over fresh ice in a rocks glass. Garnish with an orange zest.
Ingredients 50ml Monkey 47 Barrel Cut 30ml Tawny Port 2.5ml Sugar Syrup 2 Dashes of Orange Bitters 2 Dashes of Angostura Bitters Preparation Stir all ingredients over ice and strain into a coupette! Garnish with a…
Ingredients 2 cl Monkey 47 Dry Gin 3 cl Monkey 47 Sloe Gin 4 Raspberries 2 cl fresh lemon juice 1 cl sugar syrup 1 egg white Preparation Shake all ingredients with ice and strain into a chilled coupette.
Ingredients 30ml Monkey 47 Sloe Gin 30ml Campari 30ml Punt e Mes Preparation Stir all ingredients over ice, strain over fresh ice in a rocks glass. Garnish with an Orange Slice. Cheers!
Ingredients 6 cl Monkey 47 1.5 cl vodka 0.75 cl Lillet Blanc Preparation Stir all ingredients over ice, strain into a chilled Martini glass and garnish with a lemon twist. Prosit!
Konnichiwa, fellow proponents of botanical curiosity! The 10th year of our obsessive hunt for exotic aromas took us to the Land of the Rising Sun – to our most trusted cooper, to be exact. After starting our effort t…
Scarcely any other spirit has changed so dynamically and continued to develop over the past three centuries. Originating in medieval monasteries, where archaically distilled alcohol was flavoured with juniper…
Ingredients 4.5 cl Distiller`s Cut 2020 1 cl Cocchi Americano 0.5 cl Crème de Cassis 3 dashes of Peychauds Bitters Preparation Add all the ingredients into a mixing glass with ice and stir. Strain into a rocks g…
The art of distillation goes hand in hand with chasing aromas and rendering them in liquid form – although alcohol is merely the medium, not the actual goal of the process. Meanwhile, the world of spirits is d…
“ Dear Julia, we’re working with Lobmeyr on unveiling a new tumbler. Why don’t you get yourself to Vienna to have a look?” This was the basic gist of the job they gave me. I have to admit, my expertise in glasses up to t…
The Swabian community of Schömberg is home to one of the world’s most prominent beard and moustache clubs. This is a story about facial hair and its consequences. It’s eight o’clock on a Friday evening, and I’ve got an a…
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Bohemian Ram. Little Bumblebee. No, not pet names that aging married couples have for each other. These are just a few of the unusually archaic sounding instruments that belong to the larger family of bagpipes.…
This fluffy delight is an all-time favourite for a reason. The only remaining question is whether to eat it with or without butter… Ingredients for approx. 20 slices 250 ml milk 20 g fresh yeast 75 g sugar 1 egg 1…
Welcome to Peachy’s – No Photos, No Fighting. The message conveyed by the neon sign above the door seems reasonable enough, and we did our best to act accordingly during our last visit – except for the part about photo…
Around three years ago, the new Union Square Cafe began welcoming in guests not far from the spot where Danny Meyer opened his first restaurant in 1985. At the corner of 19th Street and Park Avenue, regulars and…
Ingredients 4 cl Monkey 47 Barrel Cut 1 cl orange juice 1 cl lemon juice Ginger Ale 7 dashes of Angostura Bitters Lemon Zest Mint Sprig Preparation Add all ingredients to a collins glass over ice. Stir well.…
Ingredients 4 cl Monkey 4 Schwarzwald Dry Gin 1 cl Dry Vermouth Tablespoon of Funky Monkey Onions Brine Funky Monkey Onions Preparation Stir all ingredients with ice and strain into a chilled coupette glass.…
Thank you Gedulgt for the wunderbar cocktail Ingredients 4 cl Monkey 47 Schwarzwald Dry Gin 1 cl Velvet Falernum 1 cl Dry Curaçao 1cl Orgeat 1 cl Overproof Rum 2 cl Lime Juice Mint sprig Preparation Add the Monkey …
Ingredients 6 cl Monkey 47 Schwarzwald Dry Gin 2,5 cl lime juice 1,5 cl simple sirup 8 fresh mint leaves Preparation Shake all ingredients with ice and strain into a chilled coupette. Garnish with mint leaves. …
Ingredients 6 cl Schwarzwald Sloe Gin 3 cl fresh lemon juice 1 cl sugar syrup Soda water to top up Preparation Add all of the ingredients except the soda water to the shaker, fill with ice cubes and shake…
Germany’s highest waterfalls are another treasure claimed by the idyllic Black Forest – by the city of Triberg, to be precise, where the roaring waters of the river Gutach cascade down seven levels measuring 163 met…
Ingredients 2,5 cl Monkey 47 Schwarzwald Sloe Gin 2,5 cl apricot brandy 2,5 cl lime juice 1,5 cl chilled water Preparation Shake all ingredients with ice and strain into a chilled glass. Garnish with a lime zest or…
Willhelm Hauff’s fairy tale Heart of Stone tells the story of a charcoal burner whose dissatisfaction with his lot in life leads him to take a number of ill-fated decisions. In the end, he winds up back in the same j…
HABITAT Bornean Orangutans inhabit lowland rain forests, riparian, freshwater swamp, peat-swamp and dipterocarp forests, as well as secondary forests and degraded forests at elevations up to 500 metres above sea…
All right, we admit it: the idea of selling empty bottles is more than a little out there. Of course, that hasn’t halted our plans to do exactly that for our 10-year anniversary. The circumstances that gave rise to t…
HABITAT Members of the Gorilla gorilla species can be divided into two subspecies: the Western Lowland Gorilla (G. gorilla gorilla) and the Cross River Gorilla (G. gorilla diehli). Western Lowland Gorillas live in…
HABITAT Golden Lion Tamarins live in lowland forests along the Atlantic coast. BEHAVIOUR Golden Lion Tamarins are diurnal creatures that live in family groups of two to 15 individuals. Within the group, only the…
HABITAT Milton’s Titis live only in a small area of lowland rain forest between the Roosevelt and Aripuanã rivers. The species was discovered just recently in 2010 and described scientifically in 2015. At the time, a …
HABITAT Proboscis Monkeys live along coasts and riverbanks in gallery forests, mangrove forests, and lowland rain forests. Their human neighbours call these long-nosed monkeys kera bellanda – “Dutch monkeys” – because…
HABITAT Roloway Monkeys live in the canopy of rain forests and gallery forests along rivers. BEHAVIOUR Roloway Monkeys are diurnal primates that live almost exclusively in the canopy of trees. They form groups of…
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Spurred on by an oft-cited herbal curiosity, but even more so by a well-nigh obsessive pursuit of the highest-possible quality, Black Forest Distillers embark on botanical expeditions each year. In 2019, the…
The journey is an arduous one. Slowly, our car’s plaintive-sounding motor fights its way up the steep and narrow road. Buttercups, dandelions, and poppies bloom off to the side, and lime-green butterflies flutter a…
Ingredients 4 cl Distiller's Cut 2019 7 Leaves of moroccan mint 2 cl Runny Honey 3 cl fresh Lemon juice 4 cl fresh brewed Apple Tea (1 egg white optional) fresh grated nutmeg sellery stick Preparation Slightly…
It’s time we talked – or raved, rather – about Cape Town and its surroundings, which is one of the new homes of Monkey 47. It doesn’t take long to figure out why this city is one of the world’s most popular destinati…
Typically served with potato salad – a southern German staple and source of many heated discussions about the ideal recipe Ingredients (serves four) For the Fleischküchle 1 day-old bread roll, torn into crumbs 25…
The art of distillation goes hand in hand with chasing aromas and rendering them in liquid form – although alcohol is merely the medium, not the actual goal of the process. Meanwhile, the world of spirits is d…
After nearly 10 years of these texts, we could probably spare you the introduction, but the newbies will hopefully appreciate a brief review: botanical curiosity, the hunt for exotic aromas, numerous expeditions,…
In collaboration with Studio Mark Braun and the venerable ceramics manufacturer Tecco, we’ve developed a one-of-a-kind Cooler for the perfect Monkey 47 bottle serve. Made of stoneware and finished with the grey s…
Aframomum melegueta is a species in the ginger family, Zingiberaceae. This spice, commonly known as Grains of Paradise, Melegueta pepper, alligator pepper, Guinea grains, fom wisa, or Guinea pepper, is obtained…
Ingredients 2 cl Monkey 47 2 cl bourbon 2 cl lime juice 2 dashes bitter 10 cl ginger ale Preparation Fill a highball glass with ice cubes. Add Monkey 47, bourbon, lime juice and bitter. Top up with ginger ale.…
Cloves are the dried buds of the clove tree, which belongs to the Myrtaceae family. With a height of up to ten meters, this evergreen tree is native to the Molucca Islands (a group of islands in Indonesia also…
Allspice refers to the berries of the evergreen pimenta dioica tree, a type of plant of the myrtle family, and is native to a group of islands in the Caribbean called the Antilles. This explains why allspice is…
Near the centre of Vienna, the Josef Cocktail Bar serves up innovative, contemporary creations and fine spirits in a Baroque atmosphere synonymous with the Austrian capital. It's not all powdered wigs and…
"Go where the pepper grows!" This German expression (which is a roundabout way of saying "get lost") dates back to the days when the sea route to India was discovered, which added countless new…
If something tastes good, it should look good, too. Pretty much anyone can come up with something bland, after all, and so our tornado of perfectionism continued to cut a wayward swath through Monkey HQ. Having…
The legendary Pegu Club in Burma, in which Montgomery Collins – the forefather of Monkey 47 – undoubtedly spent many an enjoyable hour, is shrouded in numerous myths and tales. This was a traditional gentlemen’s club …
If you had to guess our state capital based on its characteristic features, renowned motor car brands, a football team that could do with some support again this season, the home of countless tinkerers and…
Indescribably light and fluffy, Pfitzauf is a type of soufflé with a Swabian twist. It’s the queen of the region’s desserts! Ingredients Serves four 3 eggs 1 tbsp. icing sugar 80 g butter 125 g flour Pinch of salt 250 ml m…
A good third of our ingredients come from the Black Forest itself and are definitely NOT what you would find in a typical gin! Along with bramble leaves and spruce shoots, Montgomery Collins also chose to include…
Who wouldn't like a machine that grants wishes? Herr Taschenbier certainly did for the Sams in Paul Maar's series of children's books, and we can hardly blame him. Recently, we were lucky enough to fulfil this…
The art of distillation goes hand in hand with chasing aromas and rendering them in liquid form – although alcohol is merely the medium, not the actual goal of the process. Meanwhile, the world of spirits is d…
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In collaboration with Studio Mark Braun and the venerable Glas Manufaktur J. & L. Lobmeyr, we've come up with a one-of-a-kind Tumbler that’s perfect for a sip of Monkey 47. Made of whisper-thin, hand-blown c…
The world of self-proclaimed spirits experts, craft adepts, and gin whisperers agrees: Gin doesn’t need to mature! “Produce today and sell tomorrow” – is that truly the only way forward? As…
Here's a place that truly lives up to its name: When you’re being served by Armin Azadpour and his team in Frankfurt, it’s hard to think of a single thing that isn't just as it should be. Outstanding cocktail art…
Along with our oft-cited botanical curiosity, it’s our practically obsessive quest for the highest quality that leads us out on annual botanical expeditions to our suppliers. Like Winnetou rinding across the p…
Ingredients 5 cl Monkey 47 Dry Gin 2 cl Elderflower Cordial 1 cl Sugar Syrup 2 cl fresh lemon juice ¾ Cucumber 4 cl Cloudy apple juice Apple slice Preparation Muddle the cucumber, lemon, cordial and syrup in a …
“The third time, it becomes a tradition” is a saying in the Black Forest. In other words, if something new has twice proved successful, it becomes an integral part of the local culture. This enables inhabitants of the…
Ingredients 6 cl Monkey 47 Schwarzwald Dry Gin 3 cl runny honey 2,5 cl lemon juice lemon zest Preparation Shake and strain into a coupette. Garnish with a lemon zest.
Ingredients 5 cl Monkey 47 Barrel Cut 2 dashes orange bitters 2 dashes Angostura bitters 1 sugar cube 2 cl water Orange Peel Preperation Place the sugar cube in a good-sized Old Fashioned glass and let the cube…
The Gibson Diaries Part #1 – The National Mixographic Society By now, you should have heard about the National Mixographic Society, right? Founded for the “increase and diffusion” of sophisticated drinking culture, the Na…
Jean van Rossum aka ‘Mad Mister Barberstation’ comes from a family with a long tradition of hairdressing. Before he took over his dad’s hair salon fourteen years ago, he had been a professional musician and drumm…
Upon making his move to the Black Forest – to the Schaberhof and the Wild Monkey distillery, to be precise – the Monkey began turning his surroundings into a picturesque new home. Primates are not all that dif…
In February 2015, we set out for Sicily – more specifically for the foot of Mount Etna, Europe’s most powerful volcano. Guided by our local expert, Calogero, we visited an old plantation in the Cavagrande region, who…
Along with our oft-cited botanical curiosity, it’s our practically obsessive quest for the highest quality that leads us out on annual botanical expeditions to our suppliers. In late July 2015, we embarked on a j…
A instant classic, the Bramble was created in the mid 1980’s by Dick Bradsell at Fred’s Club in Soho, London. Bradsell who to this day is still bartending is one of the most loved people in the industry and the man who…
The Monkey is a big fan of the classics. To put a fresh twist on one of the greats – the gin soda – why not forgo our original recipe in favour of Monkey 47 Schwarzwald Sloe Gin? The delicate hint of almonds often ass…
Second Sunday in the Advent season at the Wild Monkey Inn. Enjoy a Black Forest Punsch with us. Ingredients 4 cl Monkey 47 Schwarzwald Dry Gin 4 cl cloudy Apple Juice 2 cl Cinnamon Syrup 8 cl Rosehip Tea 4 cl Pear…
Third Sunday in the Advent season at the Wild Monkey Inn. Enjoy a Satanico Pandemonium with us. Ingredients 5 cl Monkey 47 Schwarzwald Dry Gin 7,5 cl Cider 5 cl hot water 1 tsp spiced butter 1 cl sweet sherry…
Fourth Sunday in the Advent season at the Wild Monkey Inn - it's finally Christmas Eve! Enjoy a Wild Monkey Teapo(r)t with us. Ingredients 4 cl Monkey Gin 4 cl white port 1 piece of fresh lemongrass 1 piece of…
Ingredients 4.5 cl Monkey 47 4.5 cl Riesling (medium dry) 2 dashes orange bitters Preparation Pour all ingredients into a mixing glass with a handful of ice cubes. Stir and strain into a nice martini glass.…
Ingredients 4.5 cl Monkey 47 2 cl lemon juice 1.5 cl applejack 1 egg white 2 dashes grenadine Preparation Pour all ingredients into a cocktail shaker with a handful of ice cubes. Shake and then strain into a nice…
Ingredients 5 cl Monkey 47 2 cl Chartreuse Jaune 1 cl lemon juice 1 cl lime juice 3 dashes simple syrup 2 cl soda Preparation Pour all ingredients (except the soda) into a cocktail shaker with a handful of ice c…
Ingredients 4 cl Monkey 47 Schwarzwald Dry Gin 2 cl fresh lemon juice 3 cl simple syrup 2 dashes Creole Bitters 3 mint leaves Champagne Preperation Pour all ingredients except the Champagne into a mixing glass with…
Everyone needs "Ferien" (holiday in German). 5 cl Monkey 47 2 cl Mancino Secco infused with mulled spices 1 cl lime juice 0,5 cl caramel syrup Top it up with Tonic and garnish it with a lime slice.…
We find ourselves in the year 2015 AD. All of Gaul is occupied by the Romans... All of it? No! A bar and club village inhabited by defiant Gauls continues to resist the invader’s advances. And life isn’t easy for the…
Is there such a thing as love at first sight? We are convinced that the answer is a resounding yes! For example, when a certain little Monkey met a “Black Kameel” for the first time and realized that he wanted to sta…
Good, because in future, Austria’s capital city should also make you think of Die Halbestadt: a jewel in the crown of Vienna’s bar culture, situated at the heart of the historical Gürtelbögen district constructed by Ot…
If you are looking for a real insider’s tip in Palermo on the beautiful island of Sicily, head to the edge of the port. Here, the Nautoscopio shipping containers open their doors from spring to autumn, providing an i…
Strangers in the night have been the subject of songs at least since Frank Sinatra’s famous tribute in 1966. Whether or not the Stranger bar in Gothenburg (Sweden) has played a significant role in this lore is lost t…
Christophe Rossi, owner of the L’Escamoteur bar in Kyoto (and a good friend of the Monkey), is what you’d call one-of-a-kind. Whether through his appearance, his penchant for magic and sleight-of-hand, or simply his…
The kitchen is "the best place in the world" according to 44-year-old Rainer Klutsch, who discovered his passion for cooking as a child. "I picked up a lot just watching my mum or nan all the time…
In the heart of the West Village, the speakeasy Employees Only offers just about everything you're looking for as someone who enjoys the finer things in life: first-rate drinks, delicious fare, and a special kind…
The legendary Monkey Bar originally opened its doors on the ground floor of the Hotel Elysée in Midtown after Prohibition was repealed in 1933. Since its reopening in 2009, the spirit of long bygone days has …
Welcome to the wunderbar Arthur Orlans in Brussels! This is actually less an insider tip than it is a heartfelt plea: Get yourself to Belgium and pay this extraordinary locale a visit! We promise you'll be…
If you really think about it, Monkey and bison have quite a lot in common. You give both of them care and affection and plenty of time to mature, they don't like to stand in a corner, unappreciated, and they're…
I. These days, you often hear about people looking to slow things down, but this is a place where you actually can. Pay us a visit and you’ll see! II. One of the latest trends claims that hugging trees is great for t…
Gourmets are familiar with the name Baiersbronn. Two large establishments - the Traube in Tonbach and the Hotel Bareiss in Baiersbronn-Mitteltal - have three Michelin stars each. In the district of Schwarzenberg,…
Deep in the Black Forest, Cornelia Reich produces organic cheese using milk from grass-fed cows. While the local scenery could definitely be described as bucolic, her chosen craft is hard work that requires …
Au Contraire! More Bollenhut than Bowler and Turban, this masterfully handcrafted and unfiltered sloe gin is unique in its complexity while accentuating great British traditions and the nativeness of the Black…
Who would have thought that it all starts in the forest? Well, we actually. Quercus suber, commonly called the cork oak, is a medium-sized, evergreen oak tree in the section Quercus sect. Cerris. It is the primary…
Driven by an unquenchable curiosity for botanicals and a passionate desire to explore new sensory territory, combined with a soft spot for exquisite distillates, our Master Distiller, Christoph Keller, has been…
Mens sana in corpore sano. After several years of sensory research and experimenting with a variety of glasses in search of a healthy mind in a healthy body (the perfect gin and tonic as it were), we have adopted a…
his year, our Master Distiller, Christoph Keller, once again embarked on a special distillatory mission. You know how it is – botanical curiosity, a desire to explore new sensory territory, a knack for discovering p…
Attention all bartenders, connoisseurs and Monkey tamers – the motto in the Black Forest is “zest like the best.” In collaboration with Moritz Wenz Studio and the venerable knife manufacturer, Otter Messer – the former …
Driven by occupational curiosity, a love of sensory experimentation, and a pronounced penchant for unique aromas, Black Forest Distillers have set out on their search for species rara – the singular ingredient that g…
Every year, our often-showcased botanical curiosity reaches its distillatory crescendo during our quest to find the “Species Rara”, that one extra-special ingredient for our Monkey 47 Distiller´s Cut. You can prob…
Along with our oft-cited botanical curiosity, it's our practically obsessive quest for the highest quality that leads us out on annual botanical expeditions to our suppliers. Orandum est ut sit mens sana in…
As is widely known, our often-showcased botanical curiosity reaches its distillatory crescendo during our quest to find the "Species Rara", that one extra-special ingredient for our Monkey 47 Distiller's…
After several years of sensory research and experimentation with all kinds of wood in search of the Monkey’s perfect companion, we’ve adopted a very traditional approach in our hunt for the perfect barrel-aged Mon…
This chapter in our never-ending search for unique aromas and new sensory experiments led us straight to the Palatinate (southwest Germany), where wooden barrels are still made by hand for the maturation and…
The distillation process we use is a complex one. Along with conventional maceration and distillation techniques, we employ the principle of percolation, which involves channelling alcoholic vapours through more…
Today, we’d like to introduce you to the (ok, not-so-secret) main ingredient of our Monkey 47 Schwarzwald Sloe Gin. Blackthorn – or sloe, as Prunus spinosa is also known – is a plant steeped in myth and legend. It's …
Species Rara in Bronze. In autumn 2013, the makers of Monkey 47, Alexander Stein and Master Distiller, Christoph Keller, together with their team had the idea of honouring outstanding individuals for their…
For some time now, Monkey 47 has been produced in the Black Forest at a distillery dubbed “The Wild Monkey”, which is located at the Schaberhof. An idyllic location that, until its purchase by Black Forest Dis…
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Born in Staufen, Axel Hoedt is a true Black Forest original. After studying photographic design in Bielefeld, he has been living and working in London since 1999. The forty-eight-year-old artist has always been…
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In our maceration process, we steep botanicals in a mixture of highly rectified ethyl alcohol and soft Black Forest spring water for "one day and two nights", or precisely 36 hours. Contrary to popular…
Percolation, Carter-Head stills, fragile fragrances - why does everything have to be so complicated? "You can't do it any simpler" is one possible answer, but it's not the right one. It actually has to do…
Our approach to distillation is a complex one: It involves both distilling the macerate and using steam extraction to channel the alcoholic vapours through fresh botanicals using a Carter-Head still. Steam…
Having learned from Rainer Klutsch that there’s no better place in the world than the kitchen, this was where we decided to meet once again for this issue. We were hoping the impassioned chef would grant us some e…
Ingredients 4 cl Monkey 47 Distiller’s Cut 2018 1 cl Suze 10 cl Grapefruit Lemonade Wheat Beer Espuma Red Mustard Cress Preperation Add all of the ingredients except the Wheat Beer Espuma to the Becher filled with i…
4 cl Monkey 47 2 cl fresh lemon 2 cl sage-honey 1 dash Absinthe 1 Eggwhite Pour all ingredients into a cocktail shaker with a handful of ice cubes. Shake and then strain into a nice coupette glass.…
4 cl M47 Top it up with 7up and garnish it with a lime slice and lemon zest. Cheers!
Do you remember when we announced our guardianship of Willy right here on our homepage? For three years now, we've been the proud guardians of this young chimpanzee, who has been living at the Tchimpounga…
The extraordinary quality of the Black Forest's spring water is essential to what we do. With its low levels of salt and other minerals, this water is the perfect complement to all types of distillates - especially…
The kitchen is "the best place in the world" according to 44-year-old Rainer Klutsch, who discovered his passion for cooking as a child. "I picked up a lot just watching my mum or nan all the time…
We produce our gin's characteristic tangy notes through a complex combination of citrus fruits and herbal ingredients. Alongside bitter orange and lemon balm, we also use the seeds of the local Angelica…
In July 1945, Wing Commander Montgomery "Monty" Collins of the Royal Air Force – watch lover, cricket enthusiast, and globetrotter – was posted to the British sector of divided Berlin. Collins, the son of a B…
Infusing a gin with a fresh floral note is one of the most refined arts in distillation. In addition to lavender, the traditional source of the flowery aromas in commercial gins, we use the blossoms of Black Forest…
Anybody who sits in front of his fire these days, savoring a fine drop of Monkey 47 and gazing into the warm glow has probably had his wood delivered to the front door or bought it at the local hardware store. But…
What do the Vatican, the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, and Oberried have in common? All three are the only places in Europe under the special protection of the Hague Convention in the event of armed conflicts – e…
The low mountain ranges of the middle and southern Black Forest are home to numerous heaths that are dotted with ancient juniper trees. Since time immemorial, juniper berries have therefore been used to give aroma…
If you can’t immediately read the time on the Schramberg town hall clock, this isn’t necessarily due to an overindulgence of Monkey 47. A quick glance at the astronomical clock tends to cause confusion. Instead of two …
As I’ve already mentioned, we use no fewer than 47 hand-picked herbal ingredients to make Monkey 47. Hang on a minute – are you detecting something of a pattern here? You don’t exactly need to be…
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The Monkey had a handsome bottle to call home, the recipe was approved, and the debt I’d amassed to make it all happen promised to be my ticket to going bankrupt with style. Things were getting serious; it…
The brown pharmacy bottle with its monkey label not only provides a home for Monkey 47 but can also be used as an accurate timepiece. For gin and tonic with 4 deciliters of Monkey 47, the 0.5-liter bottle holds e…
In financial terms, our design department was starting to resemble a Bermuda Triangle smack in the middle of the Black Forest. The choice between having an aesthetically engraved ring and addressing our mounting…
The residents of a small, remote village on the plateau of the Hotzenwald forest had a clever idea for increasing the number of tourists that came to visit. In 1968, they brought the first 8,000 roses to…
Zoltan Nagy, a member of the National Mixographic Society, is known not merely for his outstanding negronis, but also for the cocktail artistry he continues to put on display as manager of Budapest's legendary…
This botanical expedition began in the spring of 2015 in the montados and ended near Porto, where Paulo and his brothers represent the third generation to run his family’s cork business. As you might have already g…
In the past few years, pilgrimages have become really popular again. Away from the long, established pilgrim routes and famous sites, a beech tree in Gütenbach Forest has developed into a place of reflection and …
Hailing from the Lamiaceae family, virtually all types of mint thrive in the humid climes of the northern hemisphere’s temperate regions. These aromatic, herbaceous perennials produce subterranean runners or r…
So, it was settled: The Monkey was to take on a complex character. I was floating on a cloud of sensory bliss. That feeling would prove short-lived, however. During all the distilling and sampling, I simply…
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Hundreds of years ago, some areas of the Black Forest were full of holes like a Swiss cheese. Where families now go for pleasant walks or exhilarating bike rides, people toiled in mines for 800 years, bringing ores…
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Inspired by the classic southern icon, the Mason jar, the Mason Shaker is a unique four-piece cocktail shaker that harkens to American eras past. Mason jar is a molded glass jar used in canning to preserve food.…
Everything you wanted to know about Gin but where afraid to ask! This being said we have opened the gates of our Distillery to some of europes best Bartenders, Mixologists and true long term companions. Welcome to…
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Yes, that's the way it is – and real soccer, I mean, football, is only to be found in England. We have already described above the legally mandated standards with respect to gin. On top of that, there is no…
The golden Radhaube—pictured here in all its splendour—is the result of up to 400 hours of sheer artisanal craftsmanship. Though it does require a great deal of endurance from the women who weave it, this tra…
MONKEY 47 is now the proud guardian of Willy, a young chimpanzee. With the help of the Jane Goodall Institute, a dream has finally come true. Black Forest Distillers and its owner and founder Alexander Stein have…
Led by the Polizeiblaetzle on horseback – Blaetzle refers to the felt scales that adorn the policeman’s garment – the Blaetzle boys of Constance’s fools’ guild roam the city’s alleyways on Holy Thursday in keeping with a long…
On Rußigen or the day of soot, which falls on Holy Thursday (Schmotziger Dunschtig or “dirty” Thursday in the Alemannic dialect), all is quiet on the streets of Empfingen. The residents cower in their homes, only rare…
Since 1965, the Sachsenheim guild of Urzels has been responsible for preserving and promoting the fools’ custom known as the Running of the Urzels. The main figures in this practice originating from the T…
The word "gimlet" used in this sense is first attested in 1928. The most obvious derivation is from the tool for drilling small holes, whose name is also used figuratively to describe something as sharp…
The Juniper Sling recipe created for luxury perfumer Penhaligon's by Zachary de Git of Singapore´s one and only Tippling Club is a true piece of craftsmanship. Designed on the fragrance's actual flavor chart and …
This extravagant gin and tonic has been created for us by Dario Gentile from the Jing´an Shangri-La in Shanghai. Into a chilled, pure crystal glass, pour 50 ml of Monkey 47. Add cubes of clear ice together with …
A Collins is a cocktail with a classic sour base but that is fizzed up using soda water. There are numerous tales on the origins of the cocktail name, but the most popular account is about a mischievous character…
Twentieth Century is a cocktail created by a British bartender called C.A. Tuck, and named in honor of the celebrated Twentieth Century Limited train which ran between New York City and Chicago from 1902 until…
Vesper is a cocktail enshrouded in myths that is made of gin, vodka and Kina Lillet. It was invented by the author Ian Fleming in 1953 in his first James Bond book, Casino Royale, for the most famous secret agent,…
It was around 1888 when New Orleans bartender Henry C. Ramos developed his special gin fizz (the Ramos) and made his bar, the Imperial Cabinet Saloon, the toast of the town. The attention was not just due to the…
The father of this classic gin drink is Arthur Tarling, a bartender in London's Café Royal, who won first prize in a London cocktail competition in 1933 with his recipe. Light and refreshing, the Red Lion has quite …
The difference between a Tom Collins and a Gin Fizz can be summed up using the following simple rule: one is stirred, while the other is shaken. To put it even more simply: The Gin Fizz is a sour topped up with…
A classic 1:1:1 drink (with equal proportions of all ingredients), the Negroni ranks among the true evergreens of any bar. (By the way, you can find the recipe on our page entitled “Don Camillo and His Monkey”.) The…
A instant classic, the Bramble was created in the mid 1980’s by Dick Bradsell at Fred’s Club in Soho, London. Bradsell who to this day is still bartending is one of the most loved people in the industry and the man who…
The Clover Club Cocktail is a drink that pre-dates Prohibition, and is named for the Philadelphia men's club of the same name, which met in the Bellevue-Stratford hotel in the early days. It has a long history…
The exact origin of the Gibson is unclear, with numerous popular tales and theories about its genesis. According to one popular theory Charles Dana Gibson is responsible for the creation of the Gibson, when he…
Recently voted amongst the world’s top ten in the “Best New International Cocktail Bar” category at the Tales of the Cocktail® awards in New Orleans (the Oscars of the international bar industry), and he’s already made it …
A refreshing gin-spiked tea punch, created by Jim Meehan of PDT in New York City, is playfully named after the classic After Eight chocolates, universally known as “thin mints”. Combine 2300 ml of chilled lavender min…
In French, bijou means “jewel” – an appropriate name for this gem of a cocktail. Developed by Harry Johnson, according to legend the ingredients reflect the resplendent colors of three jewels – gin as a diamond, vermout…
If you think that the Bronx Cocktail is only drunk by tough guys, to the sounds of hip-hop, then think again. The mild-mannered Black Forest monkey also enjoys its sweet and fruity taste. How and where this…
Today we’d like to highlight the Casino Cocktail, an often overlooked classic with the potential to become your new favorite drink. The signature flavor of this cocktail is its mix of bitter and sweet with a touch o…
We don’t know for sure if this cocktail can raise the dead, but we can safely say that it will help revive your spirits. Lest you don’t have a copy of Harry Craddock’s The Savoy Cocktail Book (first published in 1930)…
As with many classic cocktails, the Aviation is enshrouded in numerous myths. The original recipe for the Aviation cocktail appeared in Hugo Ensslin’s 1961 ‘Recipes for Mixed Drinks’ collection. Originally from Germa…
The Last Word is a Gin based prohibition-era cocktail originally developed at the Detroit Athletic Club. The Last Word consists of equal amounts of gin, green Chartreuse, maraschino liqueur and freshly pressed lime…
The monkey from the Black Forest is not actually a fan of hocus-pocus; he prefers to keep things things clear and simple. Except, of course, when it comes to the legendary Hanky Panky, born around 100 years ago in…
If you've ever wondered what monkeys and tomatoes have in common, you'll find the answer in Singapore – from the inventor of the legendary Screaming Tomatoes cocktail and Bar Manager of L'Aiglon, Louis Tan Chuan M…
As most traditions do, the Hornkappe constantly evolved over the centuries before its most recent form came to be defined by its strikingly large black bow and long fringe around the year 1890. It takes quite a few…
Whoever hears the word “Black Forest” thinks instinctively of the renowned cuckoo clock and sees pass before their spiritual eyes the hustle and bustle of the “Fasnet period” (or generally speaking: Fasching, Carniva…
In November 1844, a pioneer was born in Mühlburg, in the lovely Black Forest, whose patent now dominates our streetscape: Carl Friedrich Benz. As a graduate mechanical engineer, he’s one of the most important in…
Born in Bernau (Black Forest) in 1839, painting offered Hans Thoma a way to escape his origins. After the death of his father, a trained miller who later worked as a lumberjack in the Black Forest, Thoma had to…
At the age of just 23, Dr. Jane Goodall set off for Africa, where three years later, she lay the foundation for her impressive life’s work. Now aged 81, the prominent primatologist, environmentalist and UN M…
Just another gin! Not at all, rather Bollenhut, turban and bowler. Bollenhut? Bollenhut! The traditional dress of our Black Forest, which apart from the black forest itself, is world-renowned for the red pompoms on…
The bridal crown, also known as a Schäppel in the Black Forest, enjoys a long tradition, and compared with a bridal wreath or veil, is the oldest decorative form of headdress worn by gushing brides-to-be. A symbol …
The elderflower, a member of the Adoxaceae family, is perhaps best known in the form of the black elderberry. While people in northern Germany call it the Fliederbeerenbusch (or just Flieder for short), parts of…
The humble blackberry comes into its own as the subject of a lovely old German folk song, which we’ve made a feeble attempt at translating here: “A basketful, what’s the use? A hand will surely do; In my father’s garden,…
The orange, or the apple from China as the German term “Apfelsine” suggests, is a member of the citrus genus. A cross between the mandarin and the pomelo, this orange-colored fruit originated in China or Southeast Asi…
Licorice root, or “sweet wood” (Süßholz) as it is called in German, is known not only for its medicinal properties, but also for its sweetness. In fact the German term for sweet-talking (Süßholz raspeln) translates literal…
Also known as garden sage, kitchen sage or common sage, this evergreen herb with medicinal properties is a subshrub of the genus Salvia and can reach a height of up to 80 centimeters. The strong, aromatic odor is…
A member of the ginger family, root ginger is a monocotyledonous plant whose rootstock, or “rhizome”, is used as both a spice and a type of medicine. Indigenous to the tropics and subtropics, zingiber officinale is cul…
A sprawling, deciduous shrub with vines that can climb up to ten metres, jasmine belongs to the olive family Oleaceae. Its delicate, white, sweetly scented flowers bloom from June to September and are held on…
The name nutmeg is misleading because this plant actually produces a type of berry, the excessive consumption of which can trigger hallucinating effects. The origins of nutmeg can be traced back to Indonesia’s B…
A member of the daisy family (Asteraceae in Latin), the camomile plant is indigenous to southern and eastern Europe, but is the native medicinal plant throughout all of Europe today. And this includes the Black…
Angelica archangelica, commonly known as Garden Angelica, Holy Ghost, Wild Celery, and Norwegian angelica, is a biennial plant from the Apiaceae family, a subspecies of which is cultivated for its sweetly scented…
Lavandula angustifolia (lavender or English lavender, though not native to England; also common lavender, true lavender, narrow-leaved lavender), formerly L. officinalis, is a flowering plant in the family…
Coriandrum sativum, also known as cilantro, Chinese parsley or dhania, is an annual herb in the family Apiaceae. Coriander is native to regions spanning from southern Europe and North Africa to southwestern Asia.…
Norway Spruce (Picea abies) is a species of spruce native to Europe. It is also commonly referred to as the European Spruce. It is a large, fast-growing evergreen coniferous tree growing to 35-55 m (115–180 ft) t…
The mountain ranges of the Central and Southern Black Forest, as well as the neighboring Swabian Mountains, are still home to numerous heathlands dotted with age-old juniper trees. Which is why juniper berries have…
Whoever associates a barbecue with fatty sausages and stringy pork neck is in for a sizzling surprise at Andre Chiang's Burnt Ends restaurant in the heart of Singapore. This is where head chef Dave Pynt pursues his…
The name L’Aiglon dates back to the long-awaited heir to Napoléon’s throne, Napoléon Bonaparte, who also became known as “The Eaglet” (L’Aiglon). The L’Aiglon bar in central Singapore has little that resembles an eagle’s nest.…
Located at 5, Rue Daunou, between the Avenue de l'Opéra and the Rue de la Paix in Paris, France, the bar was acquired by former American star jockey Tod Sloan in 1911, who converted it from a bistro and renamed it …
Cresta is only practised in St. Moritz. This exclusive sport involves hurtling down an ice-covered run at speeds of up to 140 km/h on a vehicle similar to a bob skeleton, with the rider's nose only a few…
The Senator Saloon is a 1920’s style American whiskey bar and restaurant, located in a cozy neighbourhood in Shanghai. Actually it is a look back on the era of Prohibition when the sale and consumption of alcoholic b…
Certainly Not! Admittedly, it appears somewhat eccentric to claim that a recipe for gin has the power to unite great British traditions, the exoticness of India, and the purity and nativeness of the Black Forest.…
Picture a photo of a Black Forest meadow. Now imagine you're really there: the soft grass under your feet, the faint twitter of birds overhead, and the trees gently swaying in the warm, fragrant summer breeze.…
Over a third of the 47 ingredients in Monkey 47 come from the Black Forest and are not among the typical gin spices, including wild hibiscus, sloe, elderberry, dog rose, hedge rose, acacia, chamomile, and…
It is important to have ideas. The courage to implement your visions and the diligence to get the very best out of yourself and your product whilst meeting the highest standards of quality. What sounds like Monkey…
Bohemian Ram. Little Bumblebee. No, not pet names that aging married couples have for each other. These are just a few of the unusually archaic-sounding instruments that belong to the larger family of bagpipes.…
Getting a lift in someone's car can have far-reaching consequences. The attractive Sabine from Munich was looking for a lift to her dairy college – and promptly found the man of her life. She had inherited her l…
When Montgomery “Monty” Collins, the developer of Monkey 47, came to Berlin in 1949, the “Da Bach na” race in Schramberg was a traditional event that had long since been in full flow. The tub race down the Schilta…
The dogs are wild with excitement. They bark frantically and strain nervously in their harnesses. Their ice blue eyes convey their unyielding determination to run... run... just run. Finally, the long-awaited call…
With everything that you find in the Ratsapotheke pharmacy in the small Black Forest town of Schiltach, you could start producing your own Monkey 47. For the pharmacy museum has, amongst other things, distillation…
Markus Dirr first tasted Monkey47 at Schöllmanns, an exclusive bar in Offenburg. Not too far away for him. He lives and works in Endingen am Kaiserstuhl and adopts a similar approach to the Black Forest dry gin: …
Propped upright, there she stands, the Old Lady of Schluttenbach. One ailment follows the other, and the residents of the highest and smallest district of Ettlingen are concerned. Everything could be so wonderful:…
Montgomery Collins, the forefather of Monkey 47, was born in India in 1909. Four years previously, in the fall of 1905, an unknown couple got married in Germany. The pear tree in the garden must have looked quite…
Jules Verne and H.G. Wells as well as modern-day science fiction writers such as Bruce Sterling and William Gibson have dared to experiment, writing about the future of a past that never was. What would have…
Connections play an important role in the Black Forest. Whether it's combining a clock movement with the call of a cuckoo, marrying ham with the smoky, spicy flavor of the forest, or refining excellent alcohol with…
When the makers of Monkey 47 had the idea of having a monkey sculpture made to honour outstanding individuals and deeds, it soon became clear that Axel Haberstroh was the right man for the job. The artist lives…
And so it was that in November, 2008, I received a telephone call that set in motion a chain of events. On the line was a Herr Stein, who introduced himself and made a timid request – could he please pay a visit to m…
We really are not kidding when we explain over and over again that when we were, so to speak, “kissed by the Monkey” about six years ago, we didn't want to create a “brand,” but rather, just…
Before we get started, it's important to understand that there's more than one kind of gin. Over the centuries, several different styles have been developed, including Old Tom, Plymouth, and London Dry, and…
I never set out to be a schnapps distiller. That happened quite unexpectedly, and totally by chance. As a young man, I made art books, and up until about 10 years ago, I knew practically nothing about distilling…
I can remember the moment quite distinctly: I was sitting at my desk on a rainy day in Detroit, in the fall of 2006, when an old friend from Germany called me up and told me a story that would change my life in a…
So, where were we? Ah yes, our tour de force of the senses. Anyway, I’d invited over the crème de la crème of Germany’s cocktail creators, mixologists, bartenders, and hospitality experts…
Furthermore, anyone who enjoys the unadulterated taste of juniper should take a trip to central Germany, or more precisely, to the city of Hagen, where the Steinhäger and Schinkenhäger schapps varieties…
Alcohol is an essential and important component in every gin, in addition to water and a number of plant-based ingredients and spices -- or so it should be. And so it is shocking to discover that many experts on…
It is true that with regard to our sensory preferences, we were in agreement, but the joy I felt after arriving at this harmonious state lasted only until Christoph showed me the paradigm that he had developed…
An essential element in our business partnership, the glue, so to speak, that holds two people as different as Christoph and myself together, consists in “being right!” And thus I recall with great…
It was news to me, and I could hardly believe it: neutral spirits are, quite simply, not neutral, and the joyful expression on my partner's face confirmed it. Alexander had indeed been right when he brought in a…
After a series of morning tasting orgies, Alexander showed up nearly every time at the distillery armed with a sensory “ranking list.” We subjected our distillates to further tests, and analyzed the…
I grew up as the youngest of five children, which accounts for the laid-back approach, and even a certain degree of indulgence, that my parents adopted in raising me. In this I was lucky, because after my father…
Alexander Stein had just returned with his family from the USA, bearing with him the idea for a gin from the Black Forest that would be based on a historical gin from the area. At the age of 35, Alexander had…
Nonetheless, we had not yet come to an agreement as to how, or even whether we would work together. But that question, too, would be quickly settled – once again, due to a coincidence. Christoph had brought…
Let's imagine we're back in the late 1950s in the Black Forest. We find ourselves in a valley in the Black Forest, just about right in the middle, in the region around the town of Freudenstadt, far away from the…
The Monkey, mischievous as he is, devised a new scheme. He went to his next-door neighbour, saying, “Give me your savings, and I will return them to you in double in just fifteen days!” The neighbour, down on his luc…
According to early records, Carnival in Hirrlingen (a community in the Tübingen district of Baden-Württemberg) begins on Candlemas. This holiday, which falls 40 days after Christmas, on February 2, is considered a…
If our word wasn’t good enough for you, how about the word of the world’s most pre-eminent wine critic Robert Parker who recently stated on Twitter: “a friend brought me back a bottle of Monkey 47 GIN, made from 47 botan…
The famous Swiss columnist Max Küng (Das Magazin, Die Zeit and Lufthansa exclusive) recently reported on his own personal encounter with our little monkey. And on discovering a remarkable predecessor of Montgomery …
Yes it is a long way from home. But it was worth every single mile. Since april 2012 the Monkey has made appearances in central parts of Japan. In recent months, growth in the monkey population has meant more…
Descending from a genus of macaque, a primate type from the family of Old World monkeys, the nemestrina is a kind of southern pig-tailed macaque. These furry little creatures owe their name not least to their tail,…
The red-handed tamarin (Simia midas), also known as the golden-handed tamarin or Midas tamarin, is a New World monkey named for the contrasting reddish-orange hair on its feet and hands. It is native to wooded…
The Patas Monkey is a medium to large sized species of Old World Monkey that is found inhabiting the open grasslands of Central Africa. Also known as the Military Monkey, the Hussar Monkey and the Red Guenon, the…
The Barbary macaque (Macaca sylvanus) is a species of macaque unique for its distribution outside Asia and for its vestigial tail. Found in the Atlas Mountains of Algeria and Morocco and El-Kouf National Park in…
The number 47 is shrouded in numerous myths and tales that not only pose conundrums but sometimes also lead us off into quite mysterious worlds. Legend has it that the number 47 came to the forefather of Monkey 47,…
Just as gin is now superseding the rather soulless vodka, the good old record is also experiencing something of a revival. When the CD embarked on its global success story, the vinyl record disappeared from music…
One man, one hotel, two concepts. Arnd Henning Heißen is the creative magician who has transformed ‘The Curtain Club’ and ‘Fragrances’ at The Ritz-Carlton, Berlin into places of extravagant indulgence with worldwid…
Montgomery Collins, the forefather of Monkey47, spent his early years in India, which is what makes his gin so exotic. As the son of a diplomat, it is likely that he was in contact with a maharaja, although we…
Word should have got round by now that our Master Distiller, Christoph Keller, has been embarking on his fourth annual search for that “specie rara” – a special ingredient for our Monkey 47 Distiller’s Cut, which is a li…
Fruit That Brings You to Your Knees First they’re green, then white, and finally red – and thus ripe. Lingonberries are some of the tastiest produce of the Black Forest, although there are only very few people who rea…
Unmistakably associated with the Black Forest and a bestseller the world over – the cuckoo clock. At its best, it is an ambassador for traditional Baden handicraft; at its worst, a cheap imitation “Made in China”. Marki…
Germans love their clubs. If three people realize that they have something in common, there is a good chance that they'll soon establish a new one. The country is full of music and sports clubs, but German…
Few artists of their times have so many stories told about them as Martin Kippenberger. Ben Becker dedicated a song to him, a cleaning woman unwittingly cleaned one of his works, thereby ruining it, and the matter…
"I believe I can fly. I believe I can touch the sky." Michael Edwards, a bricklayer from Cheltenham, England, firmly believed in his outlandish dream of flying. The harsh reality of gravity very quickly…
When Germans talk about someone having “lots of coal”, they mean that the person is rich. This term originates from cold winters in the post-war period when only the rich could afford to sit around a warm stove. The…
Truly humble and always in a gentle mood, Björn set out to lift the cocktail scene in Sweden from the ground up by doing what he does best – making cocktails of unrivaled quality. Parallel to working as a bartender at…
Monkey 47 was not yet around in the late 1960s, which is a shame because it would have been totally at home in the “Affenbar” in the small Black Forest village of Adelshausen on the Swiss border. From 1968 to 197…
A true cult bar for sophisticated drinking devotees, Bar Basso was the first-ever Milanese joint to introduce the “aperitif” to everyday people. An historical cocktail bar founded by Mirko Stochetto, Bar Basso tra…
PDT, an acronym for Please Don't Tell, is the hot dog joint for grown-ups. Well actually, it’s the cocktail lounge annex to Crif Dogs, an East Village hot dog joint known for its hot dogs and a vintage phone booth –…
Janes & Hooch is a modern take on a vintage dive bar in the heart of Sanlitun's factory district of Beijing. Coming from two opposite sides of Australia, Warren Pang, Perth (The Opposite House, d. lounge) and…
"A man without vision is like a sea without water." When Atanasios Christos Macias opened his club Robert Johnson in Offenbach's Kaiserlei district on the outskirts of cosmopolitan Frankfurt am Main at…
To drink is to pray. Drinking correctly, however, needs to be learned – and this is especially true for cocktails. It is no coincidence that this art has matured to perfection in the USA, from where cocktails c…
In national terms, the Black Forest is an institution; internationally, it is a hilly creation. For the former, it is typified by cured ham and a climate with therapeutic qualities; for the latter, cuckoo clocks…
Ryan Clift's culinary career began at the early age of 14 at a 1 Michelin Star restaurant near his hometown of Devizes, Wiltshire (UK). Immediately drawn to the high energy and atmosphere of the kitchen, Ryan…
