Plucked from the island of Pantelleria, the Monkey 47 Distiller’s Cut 14 utilizes capers to create a spicy, elegant dry gin, with hints of the sea and nuttiness
Monkey 47 has unveiled the 2024 edition of its Distiller’s Cut release, featuring Capparis (better known as capers) as its 48th ingredient. This is the 14th edition of the limited-edition, 48 botanical release from the German Black Forest-based spirits brand.
For the 2024 Distiller’s Cut, Monkey 47 headed to the island of Pantelleria in the Strait of Sicily, where it worked with La Nicchia di Pantelleria, a small local farm steeped in a 75-year family tradition in the art of caper production. The idea for the special gin came from the classic Italian pasta dish with anchovies and capers, Spaghetti Puttanesca.
The capers, closed Capparis flower buds, are carefully picked by hand shortly before they bloom. They undergo a two-step salting process, the first is crucial for developing a tangy and slightly pungent flavor; the second salting, meanwhile, helps with the maturing process and releases a unique and distinctive flavor.
Once rinsed, the capers were added to the macerate before the distillation process. The result is Monkey 47 Distiller’s Cut Edition 14: a spicy and elegant dry gin, with a hint of the sea, sweetly nutty, against a background of exceptional density and complexity.
“Each year, our Distiller’s Cuts lets us go wild and push the boundaries of the Monkey 47 aromas,” says Alexander Stein, founder of Monkey 47 Schwarzwald Gin. “We realized that capers can be more than just a garnish for a tried-and-tested pasta recipe. Monkey 47 Distiller’s Cut Edition 14 – Capparis offers a remarkable flavor experience – and not only for those who want to think themselves away onto that small volcanic island in the Mediterranean.”
This year, Monkey 47 recommends trying Distiller’s Cut Capparis neat, elevated by the subtle, briny kiss of a single “La Nicchia” caper.
Staying true to Monkey 47’s rich heritage and the constant pursuit of quality, the Distiller’s Cut Edition 14 bottle is a definite collectible. The label’s green tone exudes the color of the salted capers, while the bottle’s bottleneck ring – engraved with the words ‘ex pluribus unum’ (Latin for ‘one out of many’) – is especially gold-coated for the annual limited release. The gift box is created with sustainable FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) paper, and its design shows off the brand’s decorative wallpaper.
“There is always huge excitement and wondrous anticipation at what our colleagues at Monkey 47 conjure up for their annual limited-edition Distillers Cut – and as with every year, they have not disappointed,” comments Muriel Dessenis, Global VP Marketing Gins at Pernod Ricard. “Driven by Monkey 47’s curiosity and obsessive pursuit of the utmost quality, the legendary 48th botanical for the 2024 Distiller’s Cut once again pushes the boundaries of what a conventional gin tastes like.”
Bottled at 47% ABV, Monkey 47 Distiller’s Cut 14 features an SRP of $79.99 per 375 ml bottle. For more information, head over to the brand’s official website.
Last year, Monkey 47 Distiller’s Cut 2023 used maple syrup as its special, 48th ingredient.
