Monkey 47 Gin is a nemesis for me. It’s one of those famous premium Gins that a lot of people love, but for me it often gets confused with how it should be served. So, I finally got hold of a bottle for my videos and I conducted my own little experiment to see which of the more common Tonics I thought worked best, to see if I could finally deduce, the ultimate Best way to serve Monkey 47 and Tonic.
Now if you’ve seen any of my videos, Instagram stories etc, where I’ve mentioned Monkey 47, I do…even after the Tasting for the video…I do firmly believe that this is one of the best Gins out there. BUT, as soon a you mix it with too much Tonic (as in probably more than a 1:2 ratio) you are wasting the Gin.
For me Monkey 47 is without doubt, the leading light when it comes to Martini Gins.
Mixed with possibly 5/10ml of Lustau Blanco Vermut and you’ve possibly got one of the most amazing Gin Martini's ever served. But is it really a Gin and Tonic Gin?? Is it worth shelling out nearly £40 for a small 50cl Bottle (effectively making it £56 for a normal 70cl), just to drink it with Tonic??
So, let’s get in to the experiment…
The Tonic Water Contenders...
I picked 9 normal Indian Tonic Waters
Schweppes
Tesco
Fever Tree
Franklin & Sons
Schweppes 1873
Double Dutch
Fentimans
Lamb & Watt
Merchants Heart
And I did everything as a 1:3 ratio. I personally would’ve done a 1:2 for myself at home. But I always shoot videos with you guys in mind, and Pubs/Bars. And I don’t think any of you would actually drink a 1:2 ratio in normal circumstances.
Also, I didn’t want to go into flavoured Tonics, as while it would undoubtedly make an awesome G&T, I still can’t get past the fact, this is a £40 bottle of Gin, so you’d just be wasting it on anything other than just drinking it natural!
What are the Botanicals in Monkey 47?
5 Native to the Black Forest are;
Angelica root
Acacia flowers
Bramble leaves
Lingonberries
Spruce
Then you've got;
Juniper Berries, Cubeb Pepper, Pimento, Sweet Flag, Almond, Orange, Lemon, Kaffir Lime, Pomelo, Blackberry, Lingonberry, Hawthorn Berries, Cranberries, Sloe Berries, Cardamom, Cassia, Chamomile, Cinnamon, Cloves, Coriander, Lemon Verbena, Lemon Balm, Lemongrass, Dog Rose, Elderflower, Ginger, Grains of Paradise, Rose of Sharon (I think thats Hibiscus), Honeysuckle, Jasmine, Lavender, Liquorice, Scarlet Bee Balm (Whaaaat?!), Nutmeg, Orris, Rosehip, Sage, and probably a few more!!!
Do you get what I mean now?!!?
Anyway, to see what Tonic Waters I thought worked exceptionally well with Monkey 47, watch the video.
The one thing I forgot to mention in the video, my third place Tonic, which I thought was quite important actually. Actually, lets start with the one to avoid.
Avoid Fentimans Tonic with Monkey 47. I think that is just wasteful. The Tonic just overshadows the Gin and masks everything. I honestly don’t think I could tell if I had Brockman's in the glass or Monkey 47. But the tonic in 3rd place, which I feel I should’ve given a shout out too…Merchants Heart. A very clean, crisp and neutral taste. I don’t think you can go wrong with that.
Anyway, as always, let me know your thoughts.
Comment on The Video. DM me on Instagram.
I’d love to hear from you about Monkey 47.
