Wing Commander Montgomery Collins, who was born in India and spent his early days with his diplomat father in the city of Madras, was posted to Germany at the conclusion of World War II to assist in the rebuilding of the defeated nation. Part of Monty’s duties was the Berlin zoo. There are two core expressions in the Monkey 47 range, the Schwarzwald Dry Gin and the Sloe Gin. In addition to this, each year the distillery releases a “Distiller’s Cut” – a one off limited edition focussed around highlighting a specific botanical. Hi Sheila, thanks for your post. Have to love Monkey 47. A special gin. i do like Hendriks as well and there are plenty of others that are interesting and different but Monkey 47 is a star. Reply Hi Rod. I honestly have not the slightest idea. Might be worth asking your favourite bartender next time. Reply

Both sloes and mulberries have been soaked in Chase GB Gin, followed by a short ageing in Rhone Valley red wine casks. Tasty notes of dark fruits, red wine and Christmas spices such as cinnamon and cardamom. It sounds pretty straightforward with only three ingredients, yet there is a wide range of flavours available. It all comes down to the length of the maceration, the amount of sugar, the strength, and the amount of fruit used, as well as the different botanicals used in the gin. And of course, the quality of the gin matters too! Take it sloe with these brands Monkey 47 is a beautifully complex spirit, combining various aromas and flavors. It's a fresh and fruity spirit with unexpected yet pleasant nuances. There’s also Hayman’s Spiced Sloe Gin, which is made using an additional mix of seasonal spices. Expect notes of ginger, plum, peppercorns, jammy strawberry and earthy juniper. After the end of world war II, British Wing commander Montgomery 'Monty' Collins from the Royal Air Force was stationed in the British part of Berlin. In his free time, he supported the reconstruction of the city. He was especially dedicated to the rebuilding of the Berlin Zoo. Through this work, he came to a sponsorship of an egret monkey called Max.The ingredients for making this gin are steeped in French-made molasses alcohol for 36 hours prior to being distilled through an Arnold Holstein copper-pot still. Keller combines traditional maceration and distillation techniques, as well as vapor infusing certain ingredients, to gather precise amounts of the more volatile botanicals and accentuate more sublime flavors. Before we get to that stage, though, it is worth noting the positive boost gin received from its collaboration with tonic, with tonic’s component of quinine a key in the fight against malaria. Who among us has not seen one of those old movies with pith-helmeted colonialists enjoying their evening G&Ts? Enjoyable, sure, but it also worked as a prophylactic against one of the most debilitating diseases in the tropics.

This cookie is set by Rubicon Project to control synchronization of user identification and exchange of user data between various ad services. The extraordinary cavalcade of craft spirits soon followed and gin led the way, although, to be honest, I have always believed that many of these gin producers originally wanted to make top whisky or perhaps even rum, but discovered that the time needed for these to mature meant that they would not be releasing anything for years. It was an impossible task on a commercial basis.To realise his dream, he partnered with distiller Christoph Keller, who was renowned for his fruit brandies and also drawn by the challenge. Montgomery Collins’ Gin was to be reborn ! Lighter than most Sloe Gins, Da Mhile has a Christmas theme, which means the base gin used has aromas of nutmeg, cinnamon and cloves. Lovely festive liqueur!

As I type I have a Bombay Sapphire and tonic beside me, but last year I went on a “gin quest”, which included Monkey 47. It did not agree with me. I liked the taste very much, but something in the recipe made me feel strange and a bit ill. Do you like Sloe Gin? Which brand do you prefer? I would love to know how you like to serve yours, so please leave your tips in the comments below.With only rudimental records and no original recipe - recreating the historic Montgomery Collins recipe was always going to be a challenge. Only descriptions from eyewitnesses and a few key facts (such as the use of spruce fruits, classical gin ingredients and lingonberries), the pair decided to recreate the gin as best they could by embracing the bigger idea behind it rather than get too caught up with the specifics of what may or may not have been in the original formula.