Monkey 47 is not your typical London Dry Gin. If you want to think London think Malcom McDowell’s Alex, raging through a futuristic London in the first 20 minutes of A Clockwork Orange. Barely recognizable from just hints of juniper, it’s pounding milk-plus and doing ultra-violence, with Beethoven from its home in Germany blaring. Spice, forest floor, sweet berry, and a strong bite make this a challenge, but I think we’ll stick with vermouth, rather than trying the Ludovico technique.
After much trial and error, half a dozen different vermouths and twice as money combinations, here’s what we’ve got:
- 2 oz Monkey 47 Schwarzwald Dry Gin
- 2 tsp. Noilly Pratt Extra Dry Vermouth
- 1/2 tsp. Dolin Blanc Vermouth
Pour gin and vermouths over ice and stir to chill. Pour into a cocktail glass and add a very light spritz of oil from a Meyer lemon twist. Discard the twist and drink it clean.
That is a quality cocktail. The rambunctious Alex still shines through, but better dressed and more genteel. The spices and bite are tamed, softened, but still sharp and focused.
Cheers! And congratulations on making it through another Monday.