To achieve this goal, Monkey Shoulder blended a unique combination of no fewer than three single malt whiskies – Glenfiddich, Balvenie and Kininvie – from Speyside distilleries owned by William Grants. The blend is then married for up to six months before bottling at 40% ABV, resulting in a smooth and creamy taste with hints of berry fruit, toasted barley, cloves, butterscotch, Manuka honey and hot-buttered-toast. In my opinion Monkey Shoulder is a great choice for whisky fans who are looking for something both light and flavourful. Its ingenious fusion of Speyside whisky creates a remarkable mixture of aromas and flavours, ranging from floral tones to honey-like oakiness. It is immensely smooth in its neat form, with a harmonious taste profile that will not overwhelm your palate. In contrast to Copper Dog, Monkey Shoulder is more on the fruity side and works best when paired with dishes that highlight its sweet taste. Its berry notes make it the perfect addition to any dessert plate – from a classic apple crumble to a moreish chocolate brownie. Chocolate Brownies Its sweetness complements hard cheeses such as cheddar or mature gruyere, while its nutty notes work well with blue cheeses like Roquefort or Stilton. Monkey Shoulder food pairings: Copper Dog boasts a unique smoothness and complexity. Its flavour profile features rich chocolate Digestive tones, as well as nutty malt, orange peels and warmly spiced aromas – such as nutmeg, cloves and cinnamon. This combination of flavours creates an intense finish that lingers on the palate.

Scotland became a hot-bed of spirit smuggling. Renowned for its remote Highland location, Speyside was a smuggler’s paradise with stills and bothies hidden in every nook and cranny. The idea for Copper Dog was born at the Craigellachie hotel, located in the heart of Speyside whisky country. Built in 1893, the hotel pub was a place frequented by local distillery workers and highland travellers who used to share their tales, including those about their copper dogs and smuggling. In 2014, Piers Adam bought the hotel and inspired by these stories, he named the hotel pub the Copper Dog and instigated the creation of a whisky of the same name.

Additionally, Copper Dog is often paired with cheese boards due to its flavour profile of dried fruit and malt tones. Mature Cheddar Cheese

Copper Dog is inspired by the resourceful rascals of Speyside; distillery workers who fashioned ‘Copper Dogs’ out of scraps of metal and pennies to smuggle out the Scotch they made to enjoy with their friends and family. They called them Copper Dogs as they were their owners’ best friend, never leaving the master’s side.” Our Service is an online platform which provides Members with information (e.g. bottle facts, market-indices, market values and prices) on (mostly) whisky and allows Members to add information to the platform. We do not sell, nor does the Service provide any option to buy, any alcoholic products.When weighing up Copper Dog vs Monkey Shoulder, both are delightful blended whiskies originating from Scotland’s Speyside region. This picturesque location located between Aberdeen and Inverness is the largest whisky-producing area in Scotland, producing over half of all Scotch whisky available worldwide! A visit to Speyside will satisfy your craving for a truly special taste experience like no other. From Glenfiddich to The Macallan and beyond, the famous Scotch whiskies of Speyside have an established reputation for excellence. Notable brands like Balvenie, Glenlivet and Aberlour won’t leave you disappointed either! The Copper Dog whisky is eponymous with the pub in which it was conceived, located in the Craigellachie hotel. The hotel is situated at the heart of the scenic Speyside valley of Scotland and offers luxurious stays and fine-dining experiences. The Copper Dog Pub and the Quaich Bar are said to have a selection of over 1000 whiskeys to choose from, which is enough information to get me putting some funds aside and plan a trip! The most celebrated was a nifty little device known as the ‘copper dog’, a piece of tubing with a penny soldered to one end and a cork in the other. A man’s best friend because it never left its owner’s side. Distillery workers hid these copper dogs down their trousers and in their belts, pilfering a dram before secretly sharing them around their local pub, comparing notes and hatching plans. Arguably many consider Monkey Shoulder to be good enough to drink neat, which is a testament to quality of the malts in the blend.

Does 2021 sound like the year to pop open a bottle of a fine Japanese blended whisky? We think so. Beam Suntory recently launched Suntory Whisky Tori under the House Of Suntory portfolio; it is a marriage between three fantastic whiskies – Yamazaki, Chita and Hakushu – created by their Chief Blender, Shinji Fukuyo. The notes flatter orchid fruits, with a touch of honey-peppermint on the nose (as well as the aftertaste). Herbs and toasted almonds also make an appearance, with the slight whiff of oak.

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If we decide not to exercise or enforce any right or provision of these Terms, such decision shall not constitute a waiver of such right or provision. Due to the regulations governing Scotch, whisky cannot be considered a single malt since it requires production at a single distillery. Monkey Shoulder facts: Blender 8 unique malts into a single Whisky creates a rich array of flavors. In the case of Copper Dog, the primary tones are fruity, with hints of delicate spice following shortly after. Dried fruit, crisp apple, sweet vanilla, and rich citrus all come to mind when you take a drink of Copper Dog. If any provision of these Terms is held invalid, the remainder of the Terms shall continue in full force and effect.

Bottled at 80 proof, Copper Dog Speyside Malt Scotch Whisky, which is owned by Diageo today, is a non-age statement whisky that is a blend of at least eight single malt scotch whiskies, each of which comes from Scottish family-owned distilleries located in the Speyside region. While these individual blends were aged in a variety of cask types, they have been married in ex-bourbon hogsheads for this expression. Nothing in the Terms shall exclude or limit our liability for fraudulent misrepresentation or for death or personal injury resulting from gross negligence or willful misconduct by us.I’m usually a fan of blended malts. Despite being an awkward, little-known category that’s hard to explain to newbies, blended malts fix a lot of what’s wrong with blended scotch. By removing the cheapest, lowest-quality ingredient (usually barely minimum aged (3 years) grain whisky) but keeping the creative and balancing act of skillful blending, a carefully-made blended malt can be ethereal and also superior to more-lauded single malts. Just look at Compass Box for examples. Sometimes, though, the script is flipped and that inexpensive grain whisky is simply replaced by similarly-wretched 3 year-old single malt sourced from the budget secondary market. The proof is usually found in the price, as the only reason to add budget malt to a blended malt is to keep the price down to entice customers used to paying bottom-dollar for blended scotch. OK, that’s not the only reason, but the exception (a high-quality, ready-to-drink cask at or near 3 years old) is so rare it’s not worth arguing about. Monkey Shoulder on the other hand is more fruity in nature, offering berry notes with hints of apricot and Manuka honey. It develops a smooth texture, balanced out with subtle nuances thanks to the addition of winter spices. This brand is owned by William Grant & Sons, who owns prestigious brands like Glenfiddich and Balvenie. The name “Copper Dog” was born from old distillery workers who would sneak a dram for themselves using an ingeniously crafted tool. From disused pieces of metal at the cooperage, they’d fashion their own contraption—soldering a penny to one end and then corking it on the other side. To keep their whisky secure while traversing through each mill, they would attach this makeshift vessel onto either belt or braces with a chain attached.