Monkey 47 Schwarzwald Gin 1L

Monkey 47 Schwarzwald Dry Gin 1L. Black Forest Distillers, Loßburg, Black Forest, Germany — 47 botanicals including lingonberries, spruce shoots, and Black Forest cranberries, distilled in small batches and matured in traditional earthenware containers, in a 1-liter format for serious gin enthusiasts.

The story of Monkey 47 begins with Wing Commander Montgomery Collins, a British RAF officer who settled in Germany's Black Forest after World War II. Inspired by his travels to India and his deep affection for the local flora around his guesthouse “Zum Wilden Affen” (The Wild Monkey), Collins developed a gin recipe using botanicals from four different worlds: classic gin botanicals, exotic Indian spices, regional Black Forest ingredients, and local German botanicals. That recipe was meticulously documented, then largely forgotten, until it was discovered and commercialized by Black Forest Distillers.

The 47 botanicals include a core of juniper, coriander, lavender, and angelica alongside exotic additions like cardamom, grains of paradise, cassia, cubeb peppers, lemon verbena, and spruce shoots. The Black Forest-specific ingredients — lingonberries, cranberries, and blackthorn — give it a distinctly regional character no other gin can replicate. After distillation, the gin is rested in traditional earthenware containers to marry the botanicals before bottling at 47% ABV. This 1L format delivers the same exceptional liquid in a larger bottle — ideal for home bars or those who go through it regularly.

Tasting Notes

• Nose: Incredibly complex — bright, fruity, and floral with rose, citrus, juniper, lemon verbena, lavender, chamomile, and mint upfront. Deeper herbal notes of sage and honeysuckle emerge alongside forest floor earthiness and a hint of spruce.
• Palate: Cool and slightly dry with a silky mouthfeel. Mentholated juniper, lavender, and blackthorn open before peppery vegetal notes emerge harmoniously. Stone fruits, blueberry, and tart cranberry appear mid-palate with earthy, woodsy depth. Sweet orange and ginger build toward the finish.
• Finish: Long, smooth, and warm. Citrus zest, earthy herbs, and gentle spice warmth linger. Blackberry jam and a faint forest floor note carry through to the close.

Specs

• Distillery: Black Forest Distillers, Loßburg, Black Forest, Germany
• Style: Contemporary German Dry Gin
• Base Spirit: Molasses alcohol
• Water: Black Forest spring water
• Botanicals: 47 including juniper, lingonberry, cranberry, spruce shoots, blackthorn, lavender, lemon verbena, cardamom, coriander, cubeb peppers, grains of paradise, sage, angelica, cassia, ginger, jasmine, honeysuckle, rose hip, chamomile, and others
• Maturation: Traditional earthenware containers
• ABV: 47% (94 Proof)
• Size: 1 Liter

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Frequently Asked Questions

• What does Monkey 47 taste like? Impossibly complex — bright, fruity, and floral on the nose with rose, citrus, lavender, and mint. The palate is cool and silky with mentholated juniper, peppery herbs, tart cranberry, and stone fruit. The finish is long and warm with citrus zest and earthy spice.
• Is the 1L the same liquid as the 750ml? Yes — same recipe, same 47 botanicals, same 47% ABV, same earthenware maturation. The 1L is simply a larger format for serious enthusiasts or home bars.
• What makes Monkey 47 unique? The combination of classic gin botanicals, Indian spices, and Black Forest-specific ingredients — lingonberries, cranberries, spruce shoots, and blackthorn — alongside earthenware maturation creates a complexity no other gin can replicate.
• Is Monkey 47 best neat or in cocktails? Best appreciated neat or on the rocks. In cocktails, use the lightest tonic available — its complexity can overwhelm most mixers. A very dry Martini or simple G&T with clean tonic lets it shine.
• Where is Monkey 47 made? At Black Forest Distillers in Loßburg, Germany's Black Forest region, using soft spring water from their own source.