Monkey Shoulder Brand Ambassador, Rachael Bartlett, tackles the stereotype of the traditional ‘whisky drinker’ with these cocktail suggestions. Follow her at @rach_bartlett
We’ve all had a guest decline a drink recommendation, because they’re ‘not a whisky drinker.’ The style of drink doesn’t tend to matter; merely having the word ‘whisky’ in a cocktail description is often enough for some customers to baulk at a drink suggestion, step back, hands raised, as if warding off an angry hippo.
But what is a ‘whisky drinker’? For most spirits, people don’t define the type of drinker they are, you don’t see the term ‘sambuca drinker’ bandied around all that commonly.
If you dare to ask Google for a ‘definition’ of the phrase you’ll get a range of outdated stereotypical articles, claiming everything from the ‘maturity and confidence’ of the classic whisky drinking human, to their ‘steadying presence in any situation’. It’s a lot of ‘he and him’ and the term ‘scotch guy’ appears at least once. Let’s not even go into the Urban Dictionary definition of the phrase.
However, if you break ‘whisky drinker’ down into its component parts, you get:
Whisky: a spirit distilled from malted grain, especially barley or rye. Drinker: a person who drinks a particular drink. Therefore, put simply, a whisky drinker is a person who drinks a spirit distilled from a malted grain.
Simple, right? There’s nothing about, age, gender or confidence, nor how this ‘spirit distilled from a malted grain’ should be consumed. Yet the phrase ‘Oh, I’m not a whisky drinker’ is still heard all too frequently in bars. A quick (very scientific) poll of our office during lunch, as to why some of my colleagues’ friends don’t drink whisky, offered up a range of responses. The general theme was ‘straight whisky is too harsh’. When you think about it, this isn’t surprising; for many consumers, most spirits are relatively harsh when you drink them neat if you aren’t accustomed to them. Outside of guests who love to sip their way through the backbar, or are partial to a tasting flight, tequila shots are generally quickly followed with lemon, vodka has found its home with soda and fresh lime, and whilst not a lot can beat a good gin and tonic, ordering straight gin tends to raise some eyebrows outside of hospo circles. Whilst Single Malt is well-loved as a neat spirit, the assumption that this is the only way to drink whisky has been extended to the rest of the category by many consumers.
Even if you venture down the classic cocktail route, whisky drinks tend to lean towards the boozy end of the spectrum. If you Google ‘top 5 whisky cocktails’, you’ll get a list like: Sazerac, Old Fashioned, Manhattan, Rob Roy, Whisky Sour.
Now there is absolutely nothing wrong with these drinks, a well-made Sazerac is a personal favourite that isn’t ordered often enough. However, they’re not particularly approachable. They’re boozy, slow sippers, and that’s great, for a lot of people. However, for guests already apprehensive about the spirit, these classic cocktails can be a turn off, and therefore a reason to not delve into the world of whisky.
When Monkey Shoulder was released in 2005, it was anything but traditional. Made from three Speyside single malts, but designed to be drunk differently, Monkey Shoulder was created for the cocktail world, created for cocktail innovation. Whilst its flavour profile lends itself well to whisky classics, its versatility makes it great to get creative with. Three Melbourne bartenders have taken Monkey on an even wilder journey, outside of the drinks you may traditionally think to see whisky.
Savoury cocktails are certainly not a new idea – the origins of a Dirty Martini can be traced back to 1901, however their growing resurgence provides a space for innovation and drink creativity, incorporating elements of fun and playfulness. The menu at Melbourne’s One or Two showcases Andy Chu’s approach to cocktail innovation, with a drive to change the mindset around ‘ordinary cocktails’. The ‘Anchovy Toast, incorporating Monkey Shoulder, Sotol, Xo Sauce, Chilli and Sourdough, is anything but ordinary. Umami and flavoursome, garnished with anchovies and crème fraiche on toast, it’s an ironic homage to the popular Melbourne wine bar snack. Most importantly, it’s very drinkable, and it’s very fun.
There’s a consensus that combining scotch and soda into a highball works as a drink, it’s a classic serve for a reason, but it’s still too ‘whisky forward’ for some consumers. Swap out the soda for Dry Ginger ale, add in an orange wedge, and whilst you’ve still got a refreshing drink, sometimes something more elevated fits the bill. Enter Alejandro Archibald’s ‘Dr Flemming’.
Each of these drinks challenge the consumer perception of what a whisky cocktail can be. They’ve stepped out of the realm of the Old Fashioned and Manhattan and put whisky into a world of possibilities.
The 16th century Italian classic, the Sgroppino, has been a feature of many a drink special over the summer months in venues across Australia, pairing white spirits, fruit sorbet and prosecco into a chilled, warm weather treat. An autumn Sgroppino, using whisky as the base spirit is somewhat left of field, however after creating a fermented mango honey sorbet recipe, the inspiration for the lovechild of a Sgroppino and Penicillin was born. This ‘modern classic with a twist’, plays with a ginger, lemon and honey sorbet, Monkey Shoulder, Pennyweight Gold and sparkling wine, finished with a mist of smoky whisky, to create a drink that defies seasonal conventions.
Nostalgic cocktails are becoming a frequent feature on menus, but these drinks aren’t necessarily a reimagination of retro classics. For Trinity Bird, of Beneath Driver Lane, nostalgia provided inspiration for her recent menu addition, ‘Punch a Monkey’.
Incorporating the ‘memory of coconut shavings falling into your lap, the spongey texture of the marshmallow cream and the gooey raspberry jam’ when eating an iconic Australian biscuit, into an approachable whisky cocktail, Bird has created a ‘light pink, creamy delight with all the fun of an adult Iced VoVo.’
Using the ubiquitous milk punch as a basis for the style of drink, Bird wanted to ‘translate every sensation to an ingredient, ultimately ensuring it tasted like the classic’. Coconut milk is used as the curdling ingredient, imparting both flavour and texture with raspberry tea and Chambord invoking memories of sticky raspberry jam, tied together with coconut rum and Monkey Shoulder to round out the final biscuit-y notes of the well-loved snack. Garnished with toasted marshmallows, ‘Punch a Monkey’ heroes blended malt whisky in a drink filled with relatable flavours.
Each of these drinks challenge the consumer perception of what a whisky cocktail can be. They’ve stepped out of the realm of the Old Fashioned and Manhattan and put whisky into a world of possibilities. By playing with the flavour profile of Monkey Shoulder, and pairing it with fun, less conventional flavours, be it sweet or savoury, these drinks help to make the wider whisky category less intimidating to those exploring spirits. Whisky doesn’t just have to be drunk neat, mixed drinks make you a whisky drinker too.
This story featured in our July edition of Australian Bartender Magazine and on the cover, thanks to our friends at Monkey Shoulder. If you’re interested in mixing with Monkey Shoulder, reach out to Rachael @rach_bartlett or your William Grant & Sons rep.