Monkey Shoulder Blended Malt Whisky

Our whisky club just met up this last weekend for our monthly whisky tasting. Normally it is 4 or 5 of us, however due to work and other unforeseen circumstances coming up it was going to be just 3 of us, including a new guy.

I got to the whisky bar, Helvetica, just before it was opening time and it was dead quiet, too quiet.

Crap, that's right it's a public holiday this upcoming Monday and lots of businesses are closing early. Have I screwed up?! Have I scheduled a club meeting on a day where nothing is going to be open!?

Crap, crap, crap, crap!

Just as I start to fret and call the other club members to let them know it's off, the doors open.

Whew!

All that worry for nothing!

I head up to the bar to grab a menu where everyone starts greeting me and laughing about how this is turning into a regular thing and what can they get me?

I've decided that I'm going to be heading into whisky areas that for one reason or another I don't often visit.

So I decide to start the night up with a blended whisky.

Monkey Shoulder to be specific.

I've seen this bottle before in different bottle shops and bars, but I've never tried it and I have to be honest, the name intrigues me, so I grab a dram of this first and decide to find a seat in the corner and decide to give this little guy a whirl.

An interesting and surprisingly complex nose makes my jaw drop open in shock.

Citrus, cinnamon, vanilla, oak, green apples, butterscotch, pears.

Holy crap! A very surprising nose for a run of the mill blend.

I really can't wait to taste this now, it's nose is so inviting.

Brr brr! Errrr! Do not pass go, do not collect $200.

Sigh it's not awful, but it's not very good either.

Vanilla, oak, citrus, cinnamon and malt make up the body of this whisky, but all of that lovely complexity that make up the nose have completely disappeared.

A very short slightly citrusy finish ends this whisky and ends the disappointment.

It's not a bad whisky, just a frustrating one. It's like the movie Shallow Hal. The guy sees this REALLY beautiful woman, this woman that just makes you say "God I can't wait to see all of her, get her in bed" and then when she's in bed with you, you realize it's a guy, something TOTALLY not what you were expecting or hoping for.

However at least if this whisky interests you it's not very expensive, running at around $45 AUS and pretty easy to find in most bottleshops.

However if you're looking for a better whisky keep moving on.

Find where to buy Monkey Shoulder whisky