Monkey 47’s New Gin Was Flavored with Sea Salt
As we’ve covered extensively before, there are a lot of very good gins to choose from at the moment, originating in all parts of the word and flavored with a huge variety of different botanicals. But consistently one of the best is Monkey 47, a German gin brand owned by French company Pernod Ricard, and its annual Distiller’s Cut release is always an interesting one. This year’s edition is no different, with the inclusion of French fleur de sel sea salt as the extra botanical in the recipe.
Monkey 47 is made at a distillery in Germany‘s Black Forest, where the team macerates the gin with a total of—you guessed it—47 different botanicals. That sounds like a lot, even overkill, but the results speak for themselves—the core expression is a fantastic gin that works well in cocktails, and is flavored with that long list of herbs and spices including chamomile, nutmeg, jasmine, grains of paradise, coriander, and of course juniper (the defining flavor of all gin).
As mentioned before, the annual Distiller’s Cut stands out for the use of an extra 48th botanical—previous years have included capers, maple syrup, and woodruff. This year’s release is given a burst of extra flavor with the addition of fleur de sel sea salt from the salt marshes of the coastal region of Camargue in France. According to the brand, the wind and sun there evaporate 90 percent of the fresh water in these marshes, leaving behind salt crystals at the bottom that are harvested using a skimming tool. “Each year, our endless curiosity and thirst for adventures turn our Distiller’s Cut into something truly rare,” said Monkey 47 founder Alexander Stein in a statement. “This year our hunt led us to the south of France and to Camargue’s glistening pale pink salt marshes established by the Romans centuries ago and renowned for its exceptional salt. Just like the meticulous craft that goes into making Monkey 47, the region’s precious salt is hand-gathered by skilled sauniers.”
The result is an intriguing riff on the classic Monkey 47 flavor profile, with subtle but noticeable notes of briny sea salt to complement the complex botanical palate of this dry gin. Like past Distiller’s Cut releases, this gin comes in a smaller 375-ml bottle. This year’s edition has a pink and blue label to signify the pink salt marshes, and each bottle comes with a gold-coated neck ring. Monkey 47 Distiller’s Cut 2025 will be available starting in November at retailers around the country (SRP $80), and you can find the core expression and past versions at websites like ReserveBar now.
