Monkey 47’s New Distiller’s Cut Gin is Flavored with Mushrooms

Fall is the season of special whiskey releases, a time when highly collectible bottles start dropping that fans are willing to pay top dollar for. But there’s a special gin that arrives this time of year as well—Monkey 47’s annual Distiller’s Cut. Each year, a 48th botanical is added to the mix for this limited-edition bottle, and this time around it’s the unusual choice of oyster mushrooms.

Monkey 47 is a gin brand owned by French company Pernod Ricard that is made at a distillery in the Black Forest region of Germany. The “47” in the name refers to the number of botanicals that are used, which is a staggering amount compared to most other gin brands. Juniper is the main ingredient, as you would expect, but the other botanicals included are things like mint, elderberry, licorice, sage, allspice, and coriander. As mentioned before, Distiller’s Cut adds one additional ingredient to this already complicated mix, and this year it’s oyster mushrooms (Pleurotus ostreatus). According to the brand, these mushrooms were actually found growing in the cellar of the nearby Wilhelmsburg fortress, so the team decided to use them to add some umami flavor to the gin.

Monkey 47 didn’t just pull up some cellar mushrooms to infuse into Distiller’s Cut, however. Instead, the brand turned to German company Burgpilz, which grew and harvested the mushrooms in the cellar of the fortress before they were distilled and macerated into the spirit. “As every year, the motivation remains the same: sensory curiosity,” said Monkey 47 founder Alexander Stein in a statement. “It is not simply about finding a new ingredient. It is about discovering remarkable stories behind remarkable ingredients. The Burgpilz oyster mushroom gave us both: a fascinating botanical and authentic people whose dedication reflects the values that have shaped Monkey 47 from the very beginning.”

As you sip this gin, it’s not necessarily immediately apparent that it’s flavored with mushroom, but there is a nice dryness and savory character to the spirit. Of course, the floral botanical mixture is also front and center, with notes of juniper, sage, citrus, and cinnamon on the palate, making this a great gin to try neat but also one that you should use in a cocktail (the brand recommends a version of a Bloody Mary called a Bloody Mushroom).

Monkey 47 Distiller’s Cut 2026 is available now in select markets in smaller 500 ml bottles (SRP $90), as well as from the brand’s website.