Monkey 47 Gin has announced a brand new 48th botanical that shall make its entrance its upcoming 14th limited edition Distiller’s Cut expression. This year, the unveiled botanical is capparis, better known as capers, often nickanmed the "black pearl" of the Mediterranean. 

Made in Germany’s Black Forest, Monkey 47 is created with 47 botanicals. Despite its name, the brand annually aims to add one additional botanical to its signature Schwarzwald Dry Gin to create its Distiller’s Cut expression. Previous expressions have seen botanicals woodruff and red mustard cress being added.

The brand said its choice for capers drew inspiration from the classic Italian dish of pasta with anchovies and capers. The capers are sourced from the small island of Pantelleria in Italy.

To ensure the capers were ready to be added to the distillate, they underwent a meticulous two-step salting process. The first salting was essential for developing a flavor that is said to be tangy and slightly pungent. Following this, the second salting stage is reported to help with the maturing process, resulting in a unique and distinctive nutty flavor, pronounced sweetness, and intense aroma. After rinsing, the capers were added to the macerate before distillation.

According to the brand, the final product is a dry gin that has a spicy, elegant character and a subtle hint of the sea. This year's 500ml Distiller’s Cut bottle is intended to be a collectable. The label of the gin features a green hue, symbolizing the color of the salted capers used in the distillation process.

The bottle also possesses a distinctive gold-coated  bottleneck ring, engraved with the Latin phrase "ex pluribus unum" (meaning "one out of many"). The gin's gift box is crafted from eco-friendly FSC paper.

Bottled at 47% ABV, limited bottlings are available internationally from October.

Kanpai!

88 Bamboo Editorial Team