Monkey Shoulder
Speyside, Scotland
A blended malt from William Grant and Sons, vatted from malt whiskies of Glenfiddich, Balvenie and Kininvie, with no grain whisky. Reported to be matured in first-fill bourbon barrels and bottled at 40%. Colouring practice is not confirmed here.
- Aging
- No age statement, first-fill bourbon barrels, blended malt only
- Congeners
- Moderate
- Histamines
- Moderate
- Polyphenols
- Low
- Sulfites
- Low
- Tannins
- Low
- Sugar
- Very Low
- Additives
- Low
In its favor
- ✓Unpeated, no sherry cask component stated
- ✓Bottled at the 40% minimum
What to watch
- !Malt only, so no grain whisky dilution as in a blend
- !No age statement
Factor by factor
Congeners Moderate ▾
Byproducts of fermentation (methanol, acetaldehyde, fusel alcohols). Strongly linked to hangover severity; darker, less-distilled spirits carry more.
Histamines Moderate ▾
Produced by bacteria during fermentation/aging. Trigger flushing, headaches, congestion in sensitive drinkers. High in red wine, beer, aged spirits.
Polyphenols Low ▾
Plant compounds with antioxidant activity. Slightly protective at low doses but at high concentrations may worsen hangover via tannin/quercetin reactions.
Sulfites Low ▾
Preservatives (SO₂) added to wine and some beers. Common trigger of headaches, asthma, and allergic-type reactions.
Tannins Low ▾
Astringent polyphenols from skins, seeds, barrels. Bind proteins, slow alcohol clearance, and aggravate dehydration-style symptoms.
Sugar Very Low ▾
Residual sugar amplifies hangover via blood-sugar swings and dehydration. Liqueurs and cocktails are the main offenders.
Additives Low ▾
Colorants, flavorings, glycerin, propylene glycol, sorbates. Cheap spirits and ready-to-drinks often hide these in trade-secret formulas.
Monkey Shoulder is the useful in-between case: blended, but all malt. Without the grain whisky share that lightens Black Label or Dewar’s, it lands closer to a young single malt, and its lack of peat and sherry keeps it below the 12 year Speysides.
Monkey Shoulder questions
Is Monkey Shoulder gluten-free? ▾
Not by label. Monkey Shoulder is distilled from a gluten-containing grain, so US rules bar it from claiming gluten-free. Distillation does remove the gluten protein, and the Celiac Disease Foundation considers distilled spirits safe for most coeliacs. If you would rather avoid the question, pick a spirit distilled from corn, potato, grape or agave.
What proof is Monkey Shoulder? ▾
Monkey Shoulder is 80 proof, which is 40% alcohol by volume.
Does Monkey Shoulder give you a bad hangover? ▾
Monkey Shoulder scores 5/10 on the SpiritFacts Hangover Index, against 7/10 for scotch overall. It is low on every hangover factor we track, so most of the morning after comes down to how much ethanol you drink.
Is Monkey Shoulder vegan? ▾
Yes. Monkey Shoulder is listed as vegan, with no animal-derived ingredients or fining agents.