Monkey Shoulder

Monkey Shoulder is a brand of Scotch whisky produced by William Grant & Sons in Scotland. Monkey Shoulder is a blended malt whisky, one of a small number of whiskies in this style.^[1] As of 2023, Monkey Shoulder is the world's third best-selling brand of Scotch whisky, trailing Johnnie Walker and The Macallan.^[2]

Monkey Shoulder

Type	Scotch whisky
Manufacturer	William Grant & Sons
Country of origin	Scotland
Introduced	2003
Alcohol by volume	40%
Website	Monkey Shoulder

History

Monkey Shoulder was introduced in 2003 as a brand of blended malt whisky (formerly called "vatted malt whisky") primarily for mixing, occupying a middle ground between blended Scotch (which can contain grain whisky) and single malt whisky (which cannot).^[3] Originally a blend from the Balvenie, Glenfiddich, and Kininvie distilleries, its current composition is not publicly known, although its constituent malt whiskies originate from the Speyside region.^[4]

The name refers to a repetitive strain injury that distillery workers once commonly were afflicted with after long shifts of turning malt by hand.^[5]

Blends

• Monkey Shoulder Batch 27
• Smokey Monkey Batch 9, a blend that includes Islay whiskies