The origins of Monkey 47 begin when the Commander Montgomery Collins, after serving in the Royal Air Force, was established in the Black Forest of Germany in the 1950s. He started a business, a small guesthouse called "The Savage Monkey" in honor of Max, a monkey from the Berlin Zoo. There he created a gin in which he incorporated exotic botanicals from the Black Forest. His gin enjoyed local fame to about four decades ago when it disappeared. Alexander Stein had heard of the legend of this gin, and began researching to try to resurrect it. As a result of his arduous search, gave the whereabouts of a mysterious wooden box, along with a bottle whose label had drawn a monkey and read "Max the Monkey". After partnering with a local distiller Christoph Keller they restore it to life by combining the 47 gin botanicals, including local Cranberries and fir, recreating the exotic gin of Commander Collins.

Monkey 47 is a curious Schwarzwald Dry Gin from Germany. The 47 comes from the number of botanicals that includes its unique recipe and the fact that it is bottled at a healthy 47% alcohol.

This plethora of ingredients has paid off, and in 2011 Monkey 47 won first prize in the World Spirits Award gold medal in the category of gin, and a gold medal at the International Wine and Spirits Competition as the best gin in the world. Not bad!

This is a gin that is changing the rules of the game intended to exist in a very, very high level. Anyone who taste Monkey 47 is deeply impressed and could be say that is moved in an almost spiritual level.

A gin, which is crying out to be turned into a Martini. Its harmonic texture and tones of its complex aromatic botanicals are so fascinating that is also great just with a little ice.

Nose: woody, vegetable smells under pin fresh grassy citrus notes and botanical sweetness, like a pine forest after the rain.

Palate: Predictably complex, this is a robust and powerful gin with plenty of spice, fruit and herb flavours. It's very well structured, and difficult to unpick but a citrus fresh start segues into pine and wood notes for a drying finish.

Finish: Wooded and reassuringly heavy.

It's in the Top 40 of Premium economic and cheap Gin and in the Top 120 of our best seller beverages.