🥃 Whisky Auctioneer

...after a long break, I tasted and rated this Monkey Shoulder - bottled in 2020 - in SCO in May 2024. I think it's still a great blended malt that's absolutely suitable for beginners - not a high-flyer, of course - but nice, drinkable and well-balanced!

Fruitier and less moldy than a previous batch I did encounter years ago. The nose is simple, but pleasantly fruity and it's pretty palatable as a sipper. No finish whatsoever, but for €25 this is quite an ok deal.

Without much taste and character.

Impressive, given its price. I like the combination of banana and sweet malt. It's a fruit bomb. It's not complex. It's obviously young and a bit alcoholic, but it's worth it. It reminds me a bit of Kavalan, Glenmorangie, and Arran. - Dominant notes: Basically two: On one hand, a very powerful fruity note of banana with hints of tropical fruits (pineapple, mango), pear, and citrus. On the other hand, a delicious sweet malt note, with butter cookies, vanilla, and honey. - Secondary notes: Orange marmalade, dried fruits, oak, apple, flowers, spices (cinnamon), milk meringue, peach in syrup. Soft hints of pepper, cereals, and pastries. Dense and oily. A short but memorable finish dominated by citrus and astringent notes, pear, and vanilla. I wasn't overly impressed when I tried a sample. It's a perfect example of not trusting first impressions. After spending some time with it, I've started to enjoy it probably more than it deserves. Although it's young and it shows, the organoleptic profile is one I like to savor from time to time, so I can easily ignore the fact that it's undoubtedly simple. Nothing new or shocking here, but in its price range, it's impressive. I find it as interesting as many renowned 12-year-old single malts that cost twice as much (looking at you, Glenfiddich 12, Old Pulteney 12, Macallan 12, Highland Park 12, Aberfeldy 12...). A higher-quality version of this same whisky could easily become one of my favorites. Intensity: 3/5 (Adequate) Complexity: 2/5 (Simple) Originality/heterodoxy: 2/5 (Orthodox) Density/mouthfeel: 3/5 (Adequate) Quality/price ratio: 4/5 (Good price)

I confess that I have probably never drunk anything worse. It really doesn't smell or taste to me. Nevermore.

Simple, easy drinking whisky without any off-notes. Caramel/toffee, honey, generic light fruits and gentle spiciness. Too thin of a mouthfeel. Clearly, it was designed as an entry level product for beginners. In my opinion, it succeeded to do so!

22/01/2026 - 50 ml Luckily I wasn't expecting much; I prefer Cooper Dogs.

Color - beautiful, designed copper brown gold, amber; Nose - lots of vanilla with dried raisins, honey, herbs, mild; Taste - warm and tasty, very sweet and round, vanilla, dried fruits, strong honey, wood, raisins, creamy in the mouth; Finish - gentle, medium-long and warm in the throat, quick on the tongue, a bit bitter furry after a long time, a feeling of fruity fruit lingers in the mouth

Flat, not much taste

A simple yet tasty budget malt used a lot for mixing with great results. Butterscotch, honey and caramels, slight peach and pineapple, peppery finish.

A good blend for an evening drink, but nothing special.

Price OK But nothing special

A well-tailored Speysider, on demand, without special requirements for immersion in flavors and aromas. In principle, even if you are standing in a bar, you can take shares...

A clearly noticeable young blend. Nothing special and too metallic for my taste.

poor smell and taste, spirit, bitterness

Maybe it's a very good mixer, but I like my whisky neet and this one does not cut it

Only for mixing

Matured in 1-st fill ex-bourbon casks. Coloured, chill-filtered. Midsize straight primary, irregular slow secondary legs. Water pushes sweet maltiness further to the fore. Good value for the price.

Good for mixing. But 5-6 years ago it was better on the nose and palate, seems like they changed something.

This whisky is watery in the glass as well as in the mouth. A weak nose, bland taste with some pepper, and an uninteresting finish. Not the worst whisky I ever tasted, but not worth repeating either. Not expensive, but also not meant for my drinks shelf.

Not bad, but a little too ordinary

Easy simple drinkable blend, not bad at all, just not very interesting. Good for a mix or beginners.

Simple blended malt, easy to drink, good value for money.

Enjoyable every day whisky, better from some single malts and in a good price.

The nose is really relatively fruity for such a “light” whiskey. The taste is simple, easy to drink even for beginners and not particularly demanding.

Among the many beautiful gifts for my 40th birthday was the blended malt "Monkey Shoulder", whose strange name comes from the custom of turning the barley used to make whiskey several times by hand on the so-called "malting floors". . Over the years, the result has been a sore shoulder for workers - the so-called "monkey shoulder". This relatively inexpensive whiskey is a blend from William Grant and is therefore a composition of three single malts. Even if this is not officially confirmed anywhere, these are probably Balvenie, Glenfiddich and Kininvie. But does that also logically represent quality? Aroma: In my opinion, this blend cannot hide youth or a certain immaturity well. The alcohol is too present for that and the nose is too one-dimensional. You can only guess at the oak, but the raisin and a certain citrus sweetness stand out in the aroma. Lemon or lime? Hard to say. It's all far too weak and flat for that. Taste: The strongest part of this blend. Very sweet, malty and dangerously drinkable, with a hint of vanilla that the barrels were already (or still?) able to give off. In this category, the "Monkey Shoulder" is simply round and also impresses with a slightly watery freshness, which for me personally makes it a shame to use it for cocktails. Finish: Short to very short. The sweetness quickly gives way to a dry mouth, where you can once again see the oak of the barrels in the background. As with the aroma, the youth comes through here too, which is why it strikes me as slightly peppery on the way down. Possibly also due to the alcohol. Conclusion: I sometimes find the “Monkey Shoulder” too bad. Of course, this is not a blend for the connoisseur, but primarily an "easy sipper" that you can grab from the bar on a fun evening - where whiskey is not the focus. The 40 percent makes it easy for beginners. Despite his youth, he doesn't have any major rough edges. On the contrary: it's easy and good to drink away. And the price is still right. A recommendable bridge between Jackie Cola or Johnny Walker (Red) and the young single malts, which, by the way, also looks quite impressive in its presentation.

Rich and complex nose, but with simple palate and short finish. Even so one of the quality blends at a reasonable price FINISH: pear, spices NOSE: pear, vanilla, dried fruits, banana PALATE: pear, oak, spices REVIEWED ON 8.10.2020

bit overhyped but still a decent bourbon

Vanilla and slightly fruity notes Although the price is cheap, it is bland.

67

There is a lot of caramel not only in the color, but also in the taste. Very vanilla, sweet, chemically spicy.

malt, vanilla, cocoa - some bitterness / astringency in the finish is sometimes unpleasant - arguably did not get better with time - air did this no favours - bitterness almost felt like it got worse

soft, everyone's friend, nothing special

flat taste

Its fine

питкость цена простота. да ещё и бутылка класс. но не ждите послевкусия, чисто выпить с известной целью

Just really not a fan personally

Very good for mixing. Occasionally, pure over ice

Fruity, Vanilla, a touch of honey.

Fruity, good value for newbie and intro to scotch, goes great as neat. Cant say anything about mixing, because in all honesty wouldn't mix it. An every day dram, nothing special.

Simple and a bit bland but for me as a beginner easy to drink and enjoy.

My favorite blended scotch whisky, and one of my go-to whiskies for the money. Pleasant throughout, starts out with clean fruit: mellow orange citrus and cider apples with cinnamon coming to the fore as the glass drains. Flavors are well blended and no individual part is too forward. Toward the middle of the glass the flavors may numb away to just 'scotch'. Eminently drinkable and rarely hot. Can take a few drops of water but any more will wash it out. At the price point there is no shame in mixing it, either.

Basic whisky, but excellent blent and very drinkable

Watery, lack of complexity, short after-taste.

Just good

Smooth and well balanced. Always a bottle in my collection.