Monkey 47 Dry Gin

Forty-seven botanicals, bottled at forty-seven per cent: Monkey 47 wears its arithmetic on the label. A good third of them are foraged in the Black Forest around the Loßburg distillery — lingonberries, spruce shoots, elderflower, blackthorn and bramble leaves among them — then macerated in a molasses-based neutral spirit and rested for around 100 days in earthenware vessels before bottling.

The distillery grew out of a Black Forest story involving a British RAF officer and a monkey named Max, revived by Alexander Stein in 2010. Whatever the mythology, the making is serious: small copper stills, hand-peeled citrus, and that long rest to round off the edges.

On the nose it's dense but legible — piney juniper first, then citrus zest, a resinous forest note and a low hum of berry underneath. The palate is dry and layered, lingonberry tartness and pepper threading through the spice, with lavender and spruce lifting a long, faintly medicinal finish. A splash of tonic opens it right out, though it holds up neat over one big cube if you want to read all forty-seven.

This is a gin for slow drinking and proper cocktails rather than a poolside long serve. Pour it when you want something to think about.

How to Serve

Chilled, in a large balloon or rocks glass over a single big cube. Mixing? A light, dry tonic and a twist of orange — skip the heavy garnishes that would bury the botanicals.

Where to Drink It

The Connaught Bar, Mayfair — for a martini made with real ceremony. Artesian at The Langham — inventive serves that suit a complex gin. Black Rock, Shoreditch — if you'd rather sip it neat and geek out.

Food Pairings

I'd put it with cured venison or a mature alpine cheese — those forest notes love game and nuttiness.