monkey 47 gin distillery tour

Cool Hunting®

Visiting Monkey 47’s Fascinating Distillery in Germany’s Black Forest

As the masterful Distiller’s Cut makes its debut stateside, we visit the fairytale place it’s made

Gin producers rarely emphasize history or any sort of distinguishable lore. The crux of their product usually lies within the combination of botanicals they employ. But for Monkey 47 —which was founded 10 years ago by Alexander Stein and is still produced by his company Black Forest Distillers—each of their products dually boasts a rich backstory and an elegant ensemble of botanicals, sourced from both the unique terrain of the Black Forest and other locales around the world. It’s this duality that makes Monkey 47 so sought after and special: to be intoxicatingly conscious of their quality yet so willing to experiment.

We recently visited the distillery in Germany’s fairytale Black Forest to tour the facility, to celebrate the new Monkey 47’s Distiller’s Cut , and to learn how the brand balances tradition with sheer innovation.

“For gin, it’s all about botanicals, different botanicals. We use 47 different ones (that’s where the name came from) and the idea was to create some sort of an aroma symphony,” Stein tells us. “But it’s 47 different instruments: if they all play independently, it’s not sounding great. So you have to harmonize everything, that’s why you have a conductor. A conductor puts everything in harmony. And that’s what we’re trying to do, and the principle is: cooking for 10 people is better than cooking for 1,000 people. You can better manage quality when you cook for a small number of people. That’s why our stills are not 1,000-liter, they are 100-liter, which is very small if you compare it to larger competitors. The idea was not quantity; the idea was making the best gin possible.”

Perhaps surprisingly, the Black Forest is a ripe destination for gin-making. The region’s natural abundance of spring water, complex herbs and decadent botanicals proves ideal for Stein’s gins. This is most evident in Monkey 47’s reliance on lingonberries and juniper, two botanicals that grow to the point of excess in Germany and are popular in regional cuisine—although outsourced juniper is favored over local for gin. And while lingonberries are distinguishable in Monkey 47’s best-selling gin, they lend to the overall structure, smell and taste of the product—rather than being an isolating, overpowering ingredient.

The regional berry is far from Stein’s most obscure, though. The distiller expresses his immense knowledge of the category, tendencies of botanicals and their willingness to harmonize through Monkey 47’s Distiller’s Cut —a limited-edition concoction born from a gastronomic emphasis on (and dissection of) a 48th ingredient . Relying on mustard seed grown in London’s underground, last year’s had an unmissable spice. Now, turning to mace (nutmeg seed covering) sourced from a marketplace in the United Arab Emirates, 2019’s iteration equally is as complex on the nose, far drier but also much more warming on the palate. This new Distiller’s Cut also marks the first time the collection is coming to the USA.

“I’m a big believer that, in the long run, if it’s your baby and you’re convinced that is this is the best you can do, it’s all about quality—I think then you have a very good chance to succeed. It’s not a guarantee, unfortunately. But it’s better than your product being shitty,” Stein says.

Working with acclaimed chef Ryan Clift, Stein led his team on an exhausting search for the perfect 48th ingredient for this year’s Distiller’s Cut. They spent days teetering with ingredients pulled from the lush markets of the UAE until they reached mace by a unanimous decision. Though this decision came long before ever adding it to the distillation process, Stein sensed that it was the perfect fit. “It’s like a raw diamond: it doesn’t look pretty, but I know there is a diamond in there. Distilling is cutting the diamond,” he says.

Stein’s emphasis on care, precision and creativity permeates every corner of the Black Forest outpost. It boasts a delightful balance of German and British sensibilities (down to an old Defender in the driveway and a mint-condition vintage Braun record player inside) and is manicured but natural. Stein himself is methodical about layout and symmetry, with the perfectly placed stills being the most obvious instance of his discerning eye.

With Stein at the helm, Monkey 47 carves out its own very special space in a category defined by repetitious sourcing and production. With quality the ultimate goal (superseding volume and drinkability), the brand crafts gins that delight the senses and oftentimes trigger a nostalgic affection. It’s the alluring Black Forest locale and Stein’s prowess and self-trust quite literally distilled and packaged in an apothecary-style bottle.

Monkey 47 Distiller’s Cut will be made available in November. Bottles will be for sale in select markets in the US and online for $80.

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Entering the Wunderbar World of Monkey 47 Gin in Germany’s Black Forest

Mention gin, and you are likely to get one of two reactions – those who love it causing their pupils to dilate or those who have no particular interest and give a nonchalant shrug. But the process behind creating a gin and its story normally captures even the pessimistic of people, and Monkey 47 Schwarzwald Dry Gin has a rather interesting story.

Sabi Phagura went along to the distillery in the Black Forest, Germany, to find out.

The Black Forest region in southwest Germany will conjure up images of the gateau of its namesake, but there’s lots more to this region than a scrummy dessert. The area attracts thousands of visitors each year thanks to the tranquillity and plenty of hiking and cycling trails. It’s also home to Monkey 47 Schwarzwald Dry Gin.

The world of the juniper-infused spirit is diverse and can and does involve a wide range of botanical ingredients and distilling techniques. And Monkey 47 is up there as one of the unique gins making quite a racket.

As the name suggests, there are 47 botanicals in the Monkey 47 Schwarzwald Dry Gin, including juniper, lime, lemon, almond, acacia, angelica, sage, sloes, spruce, cloves, lavender, jasmine, nutmeg, cardamom, lingonberries and cinnamon. With so many botanicals, you could be mistaken into believing that the individual flavours would not stand up. But as I discovered with my fellow trippers, it was possible to have a different experience with each sip.

Every time I tried it, I could pick up new flavour notes and aromas. The best way to describe what I experienced is to think of berry fruits, citrus, floral and herbal characteristics.

Monkey 47 Schwarzwald Dry Gin is distilled in-house in Germany’s Schwarzwald (Black Forest) region. A popular haunt for outdoor enthusiasts, the distillery has a perfectly tranquil feel to it. You can smell the botanicals as soon as you enter the area.

The journey of Monkey 47 began in the 1940s when British Air Force Commander Montgomery “Monty” Collins helped rebuild Berlin Zoo after the war. He moved to an isolated valley in the Black Forest and began following the tradition of distilling the local fruit and creating his gin.

The egret monkey depicted on the label is a reference to one being sponsored by the commander. As well as the ’47 botanicals to create this concoction, the number in the name also comes from the 47% ABV making it rather strong compared to some other gins. So, a little goes a long way. The brand grew further with the opening of a Black Forest guesthouse called ‘The Wild Monkey’ at which he served his gin.

Upon discovering this story, founder Alex Stein (above) was inspired to create a new gin, even using records of the original recipe as inspiration, including lingonberries, cranberries and spruce shoots amongst the botanicals. So, is this just another gin? Plenty of people beg to differ. Bollenhut, turban, and bowler hat certainly make it stand out from the crowded world of gin. It’s a batch-distilled and handcrafted gin that fuses British traditions, the spices of India , and the purity and originality of the Black Forest.

Indeed, a good third of the ingredients for this special gin originate from the region: spruce tips, elderflower, sloes, and blackberry leaves, to name but a few. The handpicked plant ingredients are then prepared in extremely soft spring water from the Black Forest. The distillers say that it’s this vital ingredient that lends Monkey 47 unrivalled complexity and quality.

The pièce de resistance, we were told, was a local “secret weapon” – fresh lingonberries. We even had a chance to mix the ingredients ourselves, including six types of peppers, using a machine which churned the botanicals much quicker than if they were done by hand. Distillation and maturation happen in traditional earthenware containers before the liquid is poured into bottles which have a metal ring to prevent the cork from getting wedged into the bottle.

Since being launched in 2010, Monkey 47 has been embarking on a round-the-world journey and has reached over 80 countries on four continents. But a visit to the tranquil Black Forest valley to see this concoction being created is a unique and lovely experience if you’re a distillery enthusiast.

The summer in this area is the perfect time for those keen on hiking and cycling. Numerous long-distance trails can be covered either on day hikes or week-long ones. I certainly used my time wisely and got out in the fresh air as soon as daylight poured into my room at Fritz Hotel Lauterbad.

Perfectly located at the foot of a forest trail, I was able to spend a couple of hours in the forest before heading back to lounge around in the hotel spa and outdoor pool.

Fritz Hotel Lauterbad also has a special bond with the distillery, and one of our activities during our stay was to hunt out Apartment 47. Located in a ‘secret’ part of the hotel, Apartment 47 was the result of three rooms being merged into one large apartment.

The vision was inspired by ‘speakeasy clubs” during prohibition times. And in a nod to such places, we did indeed have to work our way through a network of hallways, passageways and a hidden door to enter the apartment.

And it was most certainly worth the hunt. Inside, the motto is pretty much ‘back to the roots’ where we found an old TV including VHS cassettes and recorders, a record player with vinyl records, an old typewriter and lots of retro chic.

Devoid of any noise and the constant availability and the permanent online madness, it was great to step back into yesteryear. And as befits Monkey 47, there is a ‘copper bar’ in the centre based on the stills in which the fine juniper schnapps is distilled. The bar is already well-stocked for monkey lovers and can be expanded at will. Fresh ice is delivered at 5:00 pm, and If the GIN runs out, there is even a ‘Call for GIN button’. Now that is what we call service!

Monkey 47 Schwarzwald Dry Gin – Where and How?

The Black Forest has five airports within easy reach. We flew into Stuttgart from Heathrow airport. For more information on the distillery and Monkey 47 Gins or to book a tour, visit https://monkey47.com/distillery-tours .

For hotel enquiries, visit www.fritz-lauterbad.de .

Read more wine and spirits features, guides and reviews here .

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Sabi Phagura

Deputy online editor.

Sabi Phagura is a health, fitness, travel and lifestyle journalist with over 14 years experience in both print and broadcasting media. With Luxurious Magazine, Sabi has travelled the world and experienced some of the finest things that it has to offer. Sabi is one of our most eager and enthusiastic journalists regularly finding unique and exciting destinations. She always creates articles that showcase the subject in the best light via her wealth of knowledge in the luxury travel and dining sectors.

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Top choice in The Black Forest

Embracing the global craft gin craze, Monkey 47 has scooped awards for its batch-distilled, handcrafted dry gin, with piney, peppery notes. Distillery tours are free, but the early monkey gets the banana – it's by appointment only. See the website for details. The distillery is 11km north of Alpirsbach on the L408.

The name alludes to the 47 Black Forest botanicals it uses and the fact it's bottled at 47 per cent. Combined with pure local spring water, this bold gin packs a mighty punch – an entire forest in a bottle.

Äusserer Vogelsberg 7. Lossburg

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Need To Know

10 Things You Should Know About Monkey 47 Gin

words: Jessica Fields

Published: October 21, 2022

Crafted in Germany’s Black Forest mountain range, Monkey 47 ranks among the most revered gins with enthusiasts and collectors.

While often considered a modern brand that’s grown to prominence during the so-called “gin-aissance” of recent years, the spirit’s origins stretch much deeper, beginning in the 1940s. According to the brand’s eclectic blog, The Monkey Drum , the story of Monkey 47 begins with Wing Commander Montgomery Collins of the Royal British Air Force, who became enticed by the Black Forest while stationed in Germany. The forest’s natural offerings, unique flavors, and wildlife enchanted Collins so much that he decided to settle down in the area after serving his time in the military.

As a true Englishman, Collins also had an appreciation for good gin, so he set out to create his own using the natural resources around him. From here, the story takes a twisting turn, as the formulation for Monkey 47’s intriguing recipe came to Collins in a dream, and a bottle accompanied by a letter and sketch was found years later in his home. The sketch, which was labeled “Max the Monkey — Schwarzwald Dry Gin”, also gave detailed descriptions of the ingredients originally sourced by Collins.

The spirit inside that bottle possessed a unique flavor and decades later became the obsession of former Nokia executive Alexander Stein, who learned of Collins’ tale from a coworker . Inspired by Collins’ creation, Stein, who had family in the distilling business, reached out to distiller Christoph Keller to develop a craft gin reminiscent of Collins’ original spirit. Their product was a one-of-a-kind premium spirit that has intrigued palates since its 2010 debut. Read on to learn 10 more interesting facts about Monkey 47 Gin.

Monkey 47 is an industry newbie.

Monkey 47 is an authentically german gin., monkey 47 is 100 percent hand-sourced., there is a peculiar significance behind the number…, …and the monkey., monkey 47 gin contains a very special ingredient., monkey 47 is part of a famous booze family., there’s a monkey 47 for streetwear fans., with monkey 47, two is just enough., the monkey 47 family grows annually..

Along with its two main expressions, Monkey 47 also produces an annual Distiller’s Cut bottling. Each of these releases highlights a different (additional) botanical. Though released annually, Distiller’s Cut is made in limited quantities and requires a winning ticket from an online raffle to buy. As a result, this bottle is prized by gin collectors.

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Botanically complex and combining a great story with great design work to create a formidable package, Monkey 47   fast established its now cult status.

The story of  Monkey 47  begins in the 1940s. In July 1945, to be precise! Wing Commander Montgomery “Monty” Collins of the Royal Air Force was posted to the British sector of divided Berlin. Having arrived in Berlin after the end of the war and taken up his post in the administration of the British sector, Commander Collins was profoundly affected by the extent of the destruction of the capital and so resolved to support the reconstruction of Germany in his free time. Henceforth he became devoted to the rebuilding of the Berlin Zoo , through which he came to sponsor an egret monkey by the name of Max.

Montgomery Collins left the Royal Air Force in 1951. Driven by his desire to learn the art of watch making, Collins moved to the Northern Black Forest region . Unfortunately he showed little talent in the field of horology, so instead opened a country guesthouse, naming it “The Wild Monkey” in honour of Max.

The Black Forest area has always been known for distilling fruit liqueurs. Collins combined this history with his interest in gin and what he created -  Schwarzwald Dry Gin  - became the trademark spirit for the guesthouse until the 1970s. Almost four decades later, in 2006, this story was rediscovered by Alexander Stein, who just so happened to descend from a family of distillers…

Talking to Gin Foundry for the 2016 Gin Annual , Monkey 47 Founder Alex Stein explained this moment of enlightenment: “I can remember the moment quite distinctly: I was sitting at my desk on a rainy day in Detroit when an old friend from Germany called me up and told me a story that would change my life in a fundamental way. This was, namely, the life story of the young officer and bon-vivant Montgomery Collins, the great-grandfather of our little Monkey.

“I was completely fascinated by Collins’s eventful biography, from his beginnings as the well-travelled child of a diplomat, to his years as a soldier and his time in Madras and Berlin, and - finally - to his arrival in the Black Forest  and his transformation from a man of the world to a simple Black Forest restaurateur . Right from the moment I first heard the story I was enthralled. No - I was obsessed with the idea of producing a Black Forest gin whose aromas would come from local ingredients, and I was determined to breathe new life into an old recipe.”

As far as the subject of gin was concerned however, any knowledge or experience Stein had was limited exclusively to the consumption – and not the making – of Gin. Still, at the end of 2008 he decided to quit his job and move back to his homeland, with the first priority being to find a master distiller who could work with him to turn this idea into reality.

Southern Germany may seem like a strange place to have a wealth of distilling expertise, but with a history of creating fruit liqueurs and brandies as well as being the home of many coppersmiths experienced in building stills, it remains (despite a now more global craft distilling revolution) probably one of the best places to create a new spirit.

Alexander found distiller Christoph Keller, who was renowned for his fruit brandies. Christoph was also drawn by the challenge of breathing new life into this gin and the pair began their journey. Montgomery Collins’ Black Forest Gin was to be reborn.

The task when recreating a gin is trying to find information about the original product. With only rudimental records and no original recipe, just descriptions of eyewitnesses and a few key facts such as the use of spruce fruits, classical gin ingredients and lingonberries , the pair decided to recreate the gin as best they could.

Remembering the innovation behind and early days of Monkey 47 Gin , Stein recalls “We didn’t want to create a “brand,” but rather the best gin possible. We set out to produce aromas, not alcohol. For that reason, we shouldn’t be mistaken for typical “spirits producers” or “liquor entrepreneurs”; we are schnapps distillers to the core and, like a perfumer, constantly on the hunt for aromas and fragrances. Simply put the plan was and is quality!”

After two years of development, the duo chose a recipe their perfect recipe. Classic dry gin, interpreted in an entirely new and eccentric way. There are 47 ingredients that have found their way into the  Monkey 47 Gin recipe, including  angelica root , acacia flowers , bramble leaves , lingonberries and spruce shoots, all of which come from the Black Forest . Juniper berries come from the Mediterranean  (they’re known to be more aromatic as they receive four to six weeks more sun than their Tuscan and German cousins).

Amongst the b otanicals  there are six different types of pepper, as well as Acorus calamus , almond , angelica , bitter orange , blackberry , cardamom , cassia , chamomile , cinnamon , lemon verbena , cloves , coriander , cranberries , cubeb , dog rose, elderflower , ginger , Grains of Paradise , hawthorn berries , hibiscus abelmoschus , hibiscus syriacus , honeysuckle , jasmine , Kaffir lime , lavender , lemon , lemon balm, lemongrass , liquorice , Monarda Didyma , nutmeg , orris , pimento , pomelo , rosehip , sage , sloe … Yep. Long list!

Stein describes lingonberries as being the ideal botanical in gin, as it inherently has a combination of the flavours that have always defined the spirit, namely a refreshing acidity, lasting bitterness and slight sweetness.

As to how it’s made? The ingredients are steeped in French made molasses alcohol 36 hours prior to distillation. For the first five years the distilling happens in what can only be described as a beautiful old Arnold Holstein still . The team combine traditional maceration and distillation techniques with vapour infusion to gather precise amounts of the more volatile botanicals and accentuate certain flavours. Over the duration of 2015, the duo worked with Arnold Holstein , developing a new one-of-a-kind distillery.

Just like their first distillery, this evolutionary successor model was developed specifically for Monkey 47 Gin, taking qualitative and empirical parameters into account. The size of the still was downsized from 150 litres to 100 litres in order to further optimise the surface ratio of copper to liquid. They have continued to apply the combination of macerating some of the botanicals along with vapour infusing others, although they do this now in a slightly different way. By re-positioning the steam baskets and developing a completely new distillation apparatus, they can, in particular, isolate just the right amounts of rather volatile aromas, bringing them individually to the fore and carefully combining them to produce the perfect blend.

Once created, the distilled spirit is rested for three months in earthenware containers and then cut to 47% ABV with soft water from the Black Forest to before being sealed in 500ml bottles.

Monkey 47 to taste…

On the nose, there are numerous aromas and this fact alone makes Monkey 47 a great gin to keep returning to, as depending on your mood it’s easy to find a new facet that you may have previously overlooked. There are prevalent aromas of lime, fleshy berries and a woody forest floor undertone that give the gin both levity and depth. It’s very evocative.

The zingy citrus is assertive to taste upfront, but gives way to a rich bouquet of flavours including  herbal juniper , juicy lingonberries , sweet liquorice , cardamom and hibiscus -like floral touches. Can you taste all 47 botanicals? No. Are they all doing something in there? Definitely! It’s a hugely complex, rich (and as an aside very smooth) gin and very difficult to pigeonhole into a brief tasting note.

Each year, the distillery also releases a limited edition Distiller’s Cut bottling. The idea behind the D istillers Cut is to harness the inherent Monkey 47 flavour profile and accentuate a certain aspect of it by adding a signature (more dominant) new botanical to the line up, which they refer to as their “species rara” . In 2015, the duo used Spignel to create one of our favourite releases of the year, having been introduced to it at a wedding of their friend, a certain Mr Hardy Happle.

Hardy Happle is a freelance architect with a penchant for listed cultural assets such as an old farmstead built in 1601, which Happle bought in 2007. On the meadows around the old farmstead, Happle noticed the huge quantities of spignel plants, remaking that they smelt similar to Gin. Happle suggested to Christoph Keller that he use the Spignel in Monkey 47 and in midsummer 2015 around two dozen harvesters (with herb and Monkey expertise) gathered on the hillside, hand-picking large quantities of the wild spignel seeds, which were later dried for distillation. ( Watch the second video at the end of this article to see this all in action)

Monkey 47 Distiller’s Cut 2015 has aroma of fennel (it’s actually the spignel but for those who haven’t come across it think of a caraway / fennel crossover) & rich cranberry. Woody pine forest tones underpin the red fruit and spignel top notes. There’s a full body with deep rich tones that mushroom on the palate into a huge flavour explosion. There’s an elegant zing of sharp citrus that cuts back the spignel leaving a spiced nip on the finish with a long red berry and herbal finish. It’s a big gin in that the flavour profile is LOUD, much more intense than their regular offering. The journey and balance of botanicals is subtle but much like an orchestra where each instrument plays its part, the overall effect is a cacophony of sensations. If Monkey 47 has the small monkey Max depicted on the label , then this would need King Kong by way of comparison.

We feel it’s at its best in a dry Martini (4 to 1). It is also worth noting that due to the unfiltered, concentrated nature of the gin, it louches in a G&T so if that is happening for you – don’t fret, that’s normal, just enjoy it!

The Monkey 47 Gin bottles are in themselves a treat and were - at the time of its release - the best packaging for gin around. The old pharmacy style shape with brown glass and a ring around the cork complete a package that is hard not to admire. They have considered each element and refined it to such an acute extent that, quite simply, if one conceders all the elements that go into evaluating a gin (concept, production methods and makers, depth flavour, spirit quality, packaging and price point) - Monkey 47 Gin is quite easily one of the best gins in the world. Very few others come close to the ensemble Alex Stein and Chistopher Keller have achieved here.

While this article has been updated along the years since we initially wrote about Monkey 47 Gin (in order to keep it up to date and accurate), requests for more information about their gin and those seeking to buy bottles from our shop has been the most frequent item in our inbox over the past four years. Cult status is not something we would bestow upon just any gin, but the simple volume of inquiries and excitement around it make it apt of the description.

 Don’t just try it when you come across it, seek it out as if you haven’t tasted it yet, you’re definitely missing out.

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For more information about Monkey 47 Gin, visit their website:  www.monkey47.com

Say hello on Social Media!

Twitter:  @Monkey47

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• Black Forest Distillery

Monkey 47 Gin, Monkey 47 Sloe Gin

The distillery are best known for their flagship Monkey 47 Gin. It is made using 47 different botanicals which are macerated, and vapour infused in small batches. The result is a complex gin (more on that below), with the three over-arching impressions being that of citrus (lime and lingonberry), juniper and herbs with a lingering woody earthiness to the finish (woodruff, coriander seed and cardamom). 

What's the story behind it?

Monkey 47 was founded Alexander Stein who was inspired by the story Wing Commander Montgomery “Monty” Collins of the Royal Air Force, a man who was posted to the British sector of divided Berlin in the 40’s. Following his stint in the army Collins combined settled in the Black Forest and created a “Schwarzwald” Dry Gin, which was served at his guesthouse until the 1970s. 

Alexander Stein discovered in 2006 and soon became obsessed with the idea of producing a Black Forest Gin whose aromas would come from local ingredients. 

To realise his dream, he partnered with distiller Christoph Keller, who was renowned for his fruit brandies and also drawn by the challenge. Montgomery Collins’ Gin was to be reborn !

In the years since, Keller left the distilling to others returning to his beloved fruit brandies. 

Having built an impressive new distillery in the heart of the Black Forest and grown Monkey 47 into a global icon, Stein sold the brand to Pernod Ricard in 2016 who have continued to grow the gin into an established player in almost every gin drinking country around the world. 

Stein remains central to the brand and continues to dive the direction of new releases.

With only rudimental records and no original recipe - recreating the historic Montgomery Collins recipe was always going to be a challenge.  Only descriptions from eyewitnesses and a few key facts (such as the use of spruce fruits, classical gin ingredients and lingonberries), the pair decided to recreate the gin as best they could by embracing the bigger idea behind it rather than get too caught up with the specifics of what may or may not have been in the original formula.

Remembering the innovation behind and early days of Monkey 47 Gin, Stein recalled “We didn’t want to create a “brand,” but rather the best gin possible. We set out to produce aromas, not alcohol. For that reason, we shouldn’t be mistaken for typical “spirits producers” or “liquor entrepreneurs”; we are schnapps distillers to the core and, like a perfumer, constantly on the hunt for aromas and fragrances.”.

After two years of development, the duo chose a recipe their perfect recipe. Classic dry gin, interpreted in an entirely new and eccentric way. There are 47 ingredients that have found their way into the Monkey 47 Gin recipe, including angelica root, acacia flowers, bramble leaves, lingonberries and spruce shoots, all of which come from the Black Forest. 

Amongst the botanicals there are six different types of pepper, as well as calamus, almond, angelica, bitter orange, blackberry, cardamom, cassia, chamomile, cinnamon, lemon verbena, cloves, coriander, cranberries, cubeb, dog rose, elderflower, ginger, grains of Paradise, hawthorn berries, hibiscus, honeysuckle, jasmine, lime leaf, lavender, lemon, lemon balm, lemongrass, liquorice, Monarda Didyma, nutmeg, orris, pimento, pomelo, rosehip, sage, sloe… Yep. Long list!

Stein describes lingonberries as being the ideal botanical in gin, as it inherently has a combination of the flavours that have always defined the spirit, namely a refreshing acidity, lasting bitterness and slight sweetness.

How is Monkey 47 Gin made? 

When they first began, some of the ingredients were steeped in French made molasses alcohol 36 hours prior to distillation. The team then combined traditional maceration and distillation techniques with vapour infusion. 

In 2015, they unveiled a new distillery, where they made the unusual decision of adding in more stills, but instead of bigger and bulkier they opted to go smaller in size. The size of the still was downsized from 150 litres to 100 litres in order to further optimise the surface ratio of copper to liquid. 

With the new set up, they have continued to apply the combination of macerating some of the botanicals along with vapour infusing others in a multi-shot process, although they do this now in a slightly different way. By re-positioning the steam baskets and developing custom distillation apparatus, they can, in particular, isolate just the right amounts of volatile aromas, bringing them individually to the fore and carefully combining them to produce the perfect blend.

Once created, the distilled spirit is rested for three months in earthenware containers and then cut to 47% ABV with soft water from the Black Forest, before being sealed in 500ml bottles.

Monkey 47 Schwarzwald Dry Gin

Flavor Profile

The story of Monkey 47 is attributed to an Indian born British Commander who was stationed in Germany after the second world war. Inspired by the Black Forest through the lens of his family’s heritage he combined British influence, Indian botanicals, and the natural flora of the German forest to create a complex gin he called  Schwarzwald Dry Gin , along with the note  Max the Monkey. 

You see, this Commander also helped rebuild the world-famous Berlin zoo, and during the course of this he came to support Max, an egret monkey, who lived in the zoo. So it might seem natural that years after the fact in retirement, he retained an affection for the monkey he sponsored, and when he made his gin, he named it after him.

On botanicals alone, boasting an ostentatious 47, it might be the most complicated gin on the market, but to throw you one more curveball, it’s also built on a base spirit of molasses.

Tasting Notes

The nose is mentholated juniper, pineapple sage, lemon verbena, lavender, rose, hibiscus and lime. (!) This encyclopedic list merely reflects how incredibly complex and brightly aromatic this gin is. Your mileage might vary. There’s a lot in here, and I’m not sure any experts are going to agree on the exact list you get here on the nose. It’s nicely blended with a lot of hints of clues; rabbit holes of aroma that can be explored only to come up empty with a vague “floral” or “fruity” admission.

As the spirit warms, herbal notes emerge more prominently. Oregano and honeysuckle appear fleetingly, like needles in a haystack being shuffled before your very eyes. A lot going on here, and it’s all quite engaging.

The palate starts with some minty, herbal notes. Herbaceous juniper, blackthorne, lavender and an acute resiny pine note that comes across as more spruce/rosemary. As the taste progresses, we get peppery, vegetal notes, harmoniously entwined as if a single botanical. The finish, we get oily, aromatic herbs with peppermint leaves, lemon balm, blackberry and a faint pepper and green tomato aftertaste.

Fresh and fruity, with a lot of complicated nuance. There’s two levels on which you can enjoy this spirit: firstly, you can just appreciate the way it blends together to create a single powerful presence. Secondly, you can sit down as if to study it and probe the way this myriad of botanicals unravel on your palate. I think it’s rewarding for both kinds of drinkers, and it gets high marks in my book for the complexity and balance.

The first thing that caught my eye was  Scarlet Beebalm . I know it as an ornamental plant from gardens [and it attracts butterflies and hummingbirgs by the way]. The Oswego peoples of upstate New York taught Europeans a couple of uses for the plant. Resin from the plant is a natural soothing agent, often used for bee stings and the like. A tea can also be made from the plants leaves. For those of you curious about what it tastes like, it’s worth nothing that it’s also called bergamont by gardeners because its aroma is similar to that of the orange [and other common gin botanical] of the same name.

The  Dog Rose is another flower [but this time, native to Europe] that was used as a tea. The plant has a high level of vitamin C and found its way into jams, jellies and syrups, especially during times of conflict. Bulgarian peoples have used the hips of the Dog Rose to make wine; it’s an important flavoring addition to the European soda Cockta. The wild, climbing, vine is incredibly hardy, persisting in the United, growing in road side ditches, long after gardeners have abandoned the plant. In short, although the name “Dog” rose implied that some peoples found the plant worthless, its importance in several food cultures tells a story that’s otherwise. And here it is, in this German gin as well.

Mixed with Hansen’s Tonic in a  Gin and Tonic , sweet pomelo at first with exotic herb garden notes on the after taste. Lemon verbena, lavender, garden mint, lead into a citrus-dominated finish with grapefruit and lemon zest. Quite nice.

Second, we mixed it with an  Elderflower Lemonade.  This was a pre-bottled, carbonated soda. Rose and Elderflower came on strong at first, with lemon dominating the mids. The gin shone in the lower noes as lavender, rosemary, sweet orange and birch came through. It was a tough task, the lemonade remained the star, but overall, the gin offered enough to decide this mixed drink was not without merit.

The  Gimlet featured plenty of lime, but underneath: blackberry pie, strawberries, and other plump berry like notes jumped to the fore as well. Pungent and surprisingly fruity, this was a really interesting drink that showcased Monkey 47 in an unexpected way.

The  Negroni  was nice as well, with herbal, spice notes at first, setting the stage for an unctuous, fruity finish. Nice, though not as complex as I might have hoped.

Finally, we put together a  Martini.  Rosemary, coriander, mint, orange, lemon verbena, wormwood, up top, but with spruce tips and resiny juniper only barely poking through. To levy the criticism only here might not be fair, but there is precious little that comes out as juniper here. It’s quite nice, with a good flavor, but perhaps lacking in some key areas.

Overall, Monkey 47 Gin

Let’s get it out of the way. The critique that can be fairly made of this gin is that it might be too contemporary and note enough juniper happening. I’ll grant you that; however, as for fans of contemporary style gins will likely find a new best friend here. Fantastic on its own, its mixes quite well, with a unique and powerful aromatic presence and thick, rich, mouthfeel. Yes, the price is rather steep, coming in at close to $100 for a standard 750mL equivalent; however, as a rare treat I highly recommend this gin, though at this price point I might be slightly more hesitant to recommend it if you’re going to be using it exclusively in heavy handed cocktails.

Leave a Comment

20 thoughts on “monkey 47 schwarzwald dry gin”.

I never liked gin. But a couple years ago, I had a straight shot of a local product, “Green Hat.” A near-psychedelic experience of being conveyed into woodlands, open fields, down the long tables of a greenhouse. Ever since, above all, that’s what I look for in a gin: Tell me a story… take me on a journey. And I haven’t met any gin that does that better than Monkey 47. It’s almost some kind of heady liqueur…weighty in the mouth…densely sensual. I’ll spend $12-$14 on a cocktail out–and somehow, it’s never as good as the Monkey, over a cube of ice. So I don’t begrudge the price (…$38 at one D.C. store). Just love it!

An unusual gin. Complicated, unique. Hard to compare to anything else i have consumed with tonic. Definitely a modern gin as opposed to a traditional juniper-heavy offering. Too expensive for me to justify as a staple gin, hence four vs. five stars, but as a special occasion option, wonderful.

Monkey 47 is one of my favorite gins, I have been drinking it with grapefruit juice, a little rosemary simple syrup and Crude Bitters Rizzo blend. Since it’s hard to find I typically only have it as a treat but it is superb

Hi, Aaron. I’m glad that you mentioned the price. I’ve looked at this gin, read about this gin ( and your coverage was a necessary addition, and quite entertaining ), but have never been persuaded to pay a price which, frankly, makes my eyes cross. I suspect that at some point I will be convinced to reward myself, maybe on some very special occasion or life threshold. Maybe the additional information on the sheer complexity and abundance of the botanicals, and the generosity of its creator toward a kindred primate will persuade me that this is a worthy indulgence.

I’ll skip it, considering the extremely steep price (coupled with high taxes here) and that I only drink gin cocktails which require a bold juniper-forward gin.

Excellent, balanced piece (Monkey 47 is something of a phenomenon both sides of the Atlantic) – but have you broken all of the crystal-ware again? – resorted to jam jars? 😉

Its expensive but worth it, best served over a cube of ice, you save the cash for tonic, lime and so on!

The Jam Jars are the fine crystal!

In Europe this is one of the hottest gins around at premium bars. Price here is ~€30 per 50cl bottle. I love it dearly and it can be mixed in a wide variety. It has a very strong and distinct taste. A very powerful gin. I also strongly recommend Monkey 47 Sloe Gin.

Priced at ~30-35€ a bottle. Not to much for a great gin, comparing to the alternatives. Can’t compare it pricewise with €10-15 gin, it’s worth the price

This is an exceptional gin with strong complex flavors that are extremely well blended. The bottle itself is a piece of art, everything about this production is refined and elaborate, their web site is also incredible, all this makes it a world apart, for the happy few, well educated, well trained in the art of living… If you talk about the price of this bottle, you probably are not hedonist enough to deserve a sip of that elixir!

I simply think that there’s plenty of other gins as good at this one that don’t command such an exceptional price. Process wise, Monkey 47’s still size is what many small scale craft producers are working on. Sipsmith has been known to use multiple distillation techniques of the same plant material, their botanical number isn’t even that unusual— with several others in the 30+ space. Really the only thing unusual is the ultra-ultra-premium price point. It’s a good gin as I point out, but gin isn’t like whisky in that price is often correlated with process, i.e. time in the barrel.

This gin is the “Glock of gins” (if you’re into firearms, you’ll understand). Like the Glock pistol, there is a seeming cult of afficionados that are loyalists until the day they die. And the other side of the coin are people who just don’t get it, or think it’s overrated. I have tried many gins since I became obsessed with gin, and I like both the contemporary gins and the Classic gins. This gin is like no other. I absolutely love it, as a liquor though and not as a gin—because you hardly think of gin when you are tasting it. Does that matter though? If it’s delicious and intriguing, who cares what it’s labeled as? For some reason, every time I drink it (very seldom, given its price), it reminds me of Squirt pop…there is a fizz (real or imagined), and the taste of grapefruit, citrus, herbals…all rolled up together. It really is a fantastic drink, imbibed alone with no adulterants….chilled in the freezer (the bottle is certainly small enough).

I enjoyed Monkey 47, to a point. Monkey 47 reminded me of a mixture of Bombay Sapphire and Ransom Old Tom gins: It’s definitely gin, but the flavors are unique, and not perfectly balanced– honestly, the flavors are too complex for my tastes. Than’t not saying I don’t have a sophisticated palate. but when you’re talking about 47 separate flavors in one beverage, it’s a bit overwhelming for just about anyone. It’s almost as if they set the goal of including 47 botanicals up front, and once they hit about 20 they just started throwing stuff into the pot, whether it helped the flavor profile or not. I didn’t have any problem finishing the bottle, but neither will I go out and buy another (especially at the price point).

David, loved your Glock comparison. 😉

Lots of great comments here, thanks all, for taking the trouble.

So I’ll just offer a very personal view. For the past four or five years, I’ve been trying the many new gins coming on the market, at various price levels. It’s been a very fun and interesting experience to try to get an education in gin, which I hadn’t studied much before, being mainly a single malt scotch and bourbon fan. But at this point I estimate I’ve tried maybe 70 or so gins, including old standbys as well as contemporary craft gins.

Which this is definitely not. As a whisky drinker, I find it quite complex, very floral, and almost perfumy on the nose and palate. It is truly an elegant and certainly a connoisseur’s gin. There’s so much going on that I have trouble pulling out the individual essences, and I’m considered to have a pretty discerning palate.

Which brings me to my point. I’m the sort of whisky drinker who is willing to sacrifice elegance and refinement for character and power and intensity. If I want that I’ll drink cognac. Not that great scotch and bourbon can’t be that, the best ones certainly can, But I’m really looking for something that’ll knock my socks off that could be pretty simple and not that complicated.

And that’s what I’m really looking for in a gin. This gin is certainly beautiful; it’s really the cognac of gins. But I’m looking more for something like Tanqueray, which gets by on just four botanicals (as far as we know). Or even The Botanist from Islay, with 22 different ingredients. But there’s just not enough juniper in this for me.

So I guess what I’m saying is that this is too sophisticated a gin for my primitive palate. 😉 But I like it nevertheless as it represents a rarified standard (and with a rarified price) that most gins don’t approach.

Mash a ridiculous number of “botanicals” together, pour into a unique bottle and smack a cool label on it. Name it after an exotic animal and sell it for $50 a bottle.

There is a sucker born every minute. This is not really gin at all but a weird tasting floral aquavit.

I think the folks who put together Monkey 47 were trying too hard. Like they set out to break the record for the most botanicals in a gin, even if most of those botanicals added nothing positive to the experience.

There are fantastic gins on the market that use between 4 and 10 botanicals, so why would Monkey 47 use almost 50? I suppose I would have forgiven them if the result had been amazing, but it wasn’t; it was just okay, and honestly a little weird. I tried it neat and in a variety of cocktails, but nothing really worked.

It not saying it was horrible, but paying $75 for a bottle I didn’t really enjoy was a real bummer.

I have to agree with those who say it tastes like the creators of Monkey were trying too hard, and in so doing they went to far. @Eric and @Amy: That. Exactly.

@David: I like your Glock comparison. You love Glocks; I find they don’t fit comfortably in my hand. You love Monkey 47; I find it doesn’t fit comfortably on my palate. And it’s totally OK for some to think Monkey 47 is awesome, and for others to think it’s just meh — To each his own.

I finally tried it after trying a dozen or more 3, 4, and 5 star rated gins listed on this site and found it is easily the worst gin i have tasted. Will never purchase again.

Oh my god! This gin is almost too good! It makes my want to sip and sip and sip some more! I have never found a better gin and I would be shock if there was anything better!

Monkey 47 Schwarzwald Dry Gin Review

This unique bottle is a must-have for serious gin enthusiasts.

Liquor.com has been serving drinks enthusiasts and industry professionals since 2009. Our writers are some of the most respected in the industry, and our recipes are contributed by bartenders who form a veritable "Who's Who" of the cocktail world.

Liquor.com / Sabrina Tan

Overall: Our tasting panel’s overall assessment of the quality of the product,as well as its rank in comparison to others within the category

Value for Price: Our tasting panel’s assessment of this product’s quality-to-cost ratio within its larger category of competitors.

Mixability: Our rating of how well this product can be used as a component in cocktails.

Sippability: Our rating of how well this product tastes as a stand-alone pour.

Learn More about Liquor.com's Review Process

Reviewed by

Jacques Bezuidenhout

Cocktail consultant, Liquid Productions

Jeffrey Morgenthaler

Co-owner, Pacific Standard

CEO and founder, LP Drinks Co.

Monkey 47 Schwarzwald Dry Gin has garnered a cult following amongst gin enthusiasts and bartenders alike since its launch in 2010. It is known as an unusual bottling that stands out in a crowded gin category.

Our reviewers acknowledge the brand’s unique qualities and point to its complexity and robust flavor profile, as well as its higher proof as differentiators. According to our tasting panel, this well-made spirit is for the experienced gin enthusiast looking to add a twist to cocktails. 

Classification: Gin

Company: Pernod Ricard

Producer: Black Forest Distillers GmbH

Expression: Monkey 47 Schwarzwald Dry Gin

Still Type: Carter-Head Still

Aged: Unaged

Released: 2010

Price: $65.99 for 750 mL, $42.99 for 375 mL

Awards: 99 Points, Distiller.com; Gold, Beverage Tasting Institute; Gold Medal, International Wine & Spirits Competition; Best in Class for Gin, Worldwide International Wine & Spirits Competition

With 47 botanicals, it packs a lot of flavor

A unique gin experience

Complex, well-made bottling

Price might be high for novice drinkers

Higher proof (and robust flavor profile) may be overwhelming in some cocktails

Tasting Notes

Color: Clear

Nose: Heavy on the distillate and heat upfront from the higher proof, with notes of lavender, gooseberry, citrus, juniper, and clove spice

Palate: Prominent notes of rich juniper and citrus zest, pepper, cardamom, lemon grass, ginger, grapefruit, pine, floral notes

Finish: Long, elegant, rich, and slightly fiery, with earthy and spicy flavors lingering

Similar bottles: Barr Hill, St. George’s Botanivore Gin and Terroir Gin

Suggested uses: Cocktails that could benefit from a more aggressive gin like the Negroni , Last Word , French 75 , and Gin & Tonic with a citrus-forward tonic

Though our reviewers have differing opinions about the value, sippability, and mixing capabilities of Monkey 47 Schwarzwald Dry Gin, they all agree that this unusual bottling is exceptionally made, complex, and flavor-rich—ideal for the experienced gin enthusiast. 

“[This is] one of the more complex and fascinating gins in the world,” says Jeffrey Morganthaler. “[This gin is a] creative departure from the traditional London dry style that still manages to maintain one foot firmly planted in the English archetype.” 

LP O’Brien calls this gin a “beautifully distilled spirit,” and describes Monkey 47 as “complex and robust” with “delicious flavors.” 

Jacques Bezuidenhout agrees, noting that this bottle “packs a lot of flavor.” 

“This is definitely for the sophisticated drinker,” adds O’Brien.

Our tasting panel members all pick up subtle juniper spice on the nose, with Bezuidenhout and Morgenthaler both detecting some heat upfront from the higher proof. 

“The nose is heavy on the distillate with mostly juniper coming through underneath. The majority of the other botanicals are deceptively subtle on the nose,” says Morganthaler.

On the palate, our reviewers each note that juniper continues to come through with zesty citrus. Bezuidenhout picks up spicy pepper and ginger, along with cardamom and lemongrass, while O’Brien detects pine and floral notes. 

“The palate is a rich, swirling melody of juniper and citrus,” says Morganthaler. “Grapefruit seems to be very present, although I can’t find any mention of it in the literature online. There are so many botanicals present that it's hard to pick out the individual components, but juniper and citrus are the most prominent,” he says.

O’Brien describes the finish as “long, beautiful, and elegant.” 

Morganthaler agrees. “[This is] one of the longer gin finishes I can recall,” he says.

Bezuidenhout finds the finish to be “medium to high in terms of intensity [exhibiting] its 47 percent ABV.”

“The finish can come through a little fiery,” he says. 

While they agree that Monkey 47 should be mixed into cocktails, our tasting panel differs on the types of drinks it is best mixed into. 

“Its proof demands cocktails,” says Bezuidenhout. “The botanicals are lively with its higher proof, so [it would work] nicely next to a citrusy tonic [and] citrus-forward cocktails,” he says. “[It’s] not my style for a classic dry Martini or Negroni.”

O’Brien recommends this bottling for a “classic Gin & Tonic,” while Morganthaler thinks Monkey 47 does particularly well “where a more aggressive gin is needed to shine through.” He suggests using this for a Negroni, French 75, or Last Word.

If there is a sticking point with our reviewers, it may be the higher price point of Monkey 47. 

“This gin is for the gin enthusiast who likes a lot of flavor and proof, not for the budget minded, as it is quite pricey,” says Bezuidenhout.

Morganthaler finds the higher price worth it for some drinkers, however. “The complexity and price point of this gin is likely off-putting to novice drinkers, but for experienced drinkers and connoisseurs this is absolutely a must-have,” he says.

Monkey 47 Schwarzwald Dry Gin is produced in the Black Forest mountain region in southwestern Germany. The 47 botanicals are all hand sourced—a third of which comes from the Black Forest area—and are not the typical aromatics found in gin. 

Aside from the juniper berries that come from Italy and Croatia (depending on the better harvest), there are a number of unconventional botanicals used in Monkey 47’s closely guarded recipe. Some of these include fresh lemon and grapefruit peels from Sicily, bramble leaves, spruce shoots, chamomile, rose hip peel, sage, verbena, hawthorn berries, and lingonberries. 

Some more common gin botanicals like bitter orange, lemon balm, angelica, and lavender are also included alongside acacia blossoms, wild honeysuckle, orris root, jasmine, and scarlet beebalm blossoms from North America. 

The headier spiced ingredients come from eastern Asia and include cubeb pepper, cassia bark, coriander, grains of paradise, musk seed, allspice, cardamom, cloves, nutmeg, and licorice.

During maceration, the botanicals are ground and then steeped in a lukewarm mixture of molasses-based neutral spirit and Black Forest spring water for 36 hours.

The macerated botanicals are distilled in a Carter-Head still—a type of pot still often used for gin production—using steam extraction from a botanical-filled “flavor basket” placed at the top of the still.

The resulting distillate is then placed in large earthenware tanks to rest for 100 days.

Before bottling, the spirit is diluted with Black Forest spring water to achieve 47% ABV.

Monkey 47 Schwarzwald Dry Gin was founded in Germany’s Black Forest region in 2010 by Alexander Stein, a former Nokia executive with family roots in the distilling business.

In 2006, while Stein was working in the US, he learned, through a friend, of an unusual gin recipe from the Black Forest that dated back to the 1950s, and the eccentric Brit behind it. 

While stationed in Germany during the Second World War, a high-ranking Wing Commander in the British Royal Air Force, Montgomery “Monty” Collins, fell in love with the country. After the war, he helped with the rebuilding efforts in Berlin and while working with the Berlin Zoo was charmed by a resident monkey named Max. 

In 1951, Collins settled in the northern Black Forest region and shortly after, opened a guesthouse, calling it Zum wilden Affen (“The Wild Monkey”). Characteristic of his English origin, Collins sought to create a gin that featured the native botanicals of the area. Collins called this creation Schwarzwald (the German name for the Black Forest) Dry Gin, and it was supposedly the signature spirit of the guesthouse until the 1970s. 

Years later, when clearing out Collins’ home and guesthouse, sketches of  “Max the Monkey,” along with a bottle of gin and a detailed recipe, were found. In 2008, Stein was inspired by the story of this unusual man and his gin, quit his job, and set about recreating the original recipe and eventually refining it.

After launching in Europe in 2010, it took four more years to reach the U.S. through a distribution deal with Sidney Frank Importing Company. In 2016, Stein sold a majority stake in the brand to Pernod Ricard. And in 2020, the beverage conglomerate took full ownership of Monkey 47. 

–Written and edited by Prairie Rose

Interesting Fact

The 47 in the brand’s name is reflective of the number of botanicals used in its creation as well as its alcohol strength, which is 47% ABV. There is also another significance to this number, according to lore. It supposedly came to Collins in a dream as the perfect number of ingredients to use when creating Black Forest gin.

The Bottom Line

Monkey 47 Schwarzwald Dry Gin is a unique bottling, packed with flavor and personality. Bursting with unusual botanicals and featuring a higher proof, this bottling is best used in cocktails that call for more robust flavor profiles. Though it is priced higher than many others in the category, a true gin enthusiast will find these extraordinary qualities well worth the cost.

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st. petersburg distillery

We Are the Spirit of St. Pete

Every bottle tells a story of craftsmanship, community, and the vibrant spirit of St. Pete. We are more than just a distillery – we are a celebration of local heritage, a place for adventure and discovery, and a testament to the art of fine spirit making.

Old St. Pete

Crafted in small batches in our copper pot stills, Old St. Pete Spirits celebrate the independent, artisan traditions embraced throughout our city’s history.

Righteous Rum & Spice

Old St. Pete Righteous Rum & Spice marries a rich, full-bodied pot-distilled rum with all-natural, old world spices.

Tropical Gin

This combination of 11 botanicals was thoughtfully chosen to find a balance between sophisticated gin and casual tropical drinking. The tropical fruit and green florals complement the juniper berries, making a thought-provoking contemporary style gin.

Sunshine Whiskey

This copper pot distilled whiskey is a blend of 4- and 7-year aged whiskey, each offering diversity creating a beautiful amount of depth, similarly to the city of St. Pete.

Artisanal Vodka

An exquisite vodka crafted with the finest rye and wheat along with the purest water, small batch distilled in handmade copper pot stills with superior attention to the finest details.

The orange, a balance of both bitter and sweet, is constant through the palate while different London Dry Gin components appear throughout the tasting, juniper, angelica, and cardamom.

Banyan Reserve

Banyan trees hold a special place in the heart of our hometown, and inspired our Banyan Reserve Vodka.

Banyan Reserve’s ingredients speak to our core values. Made from the purest Florida water, harvested with 100% American corn, we traditionally column and copper pot distill our vodka six times.

Beneath the old growth oaks and tropical palms of St. Petersburg, an eclectic spirit has emerged, combining the relaxed pace of Florida with an appreciation for creative energy.

A premium, spiced rum & coconut rum with an incredible bouquet of rich flavors & aromas, using all natural ingredients, real cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla, honey sugars, coconuts for a spiced rum & a coconut rum unlike never before.

Nothing says Sunshine State-authentic like real Florida oranges. That’s what we start with when we make Tippler’s Orange Liqueur.

Orange Liqueur

Created with whole oranges – peels and all – this high-quality liqueur embodies the taste of sunshine, and celebrates the tippling houses and coastal bars of old Florida. Grown, picked, squeezed, produced and bottled in the Sunshine State.

Tippler's Reserve

Our Tippler’s Reserve is aged in Ex-Bourbon barrels for a minimum of 2 years, then blended with 5-year aged Bourbon.

visit st. petersburg distillery

Immerse yourself in a tailor-made craft spirit adventure at St. Petersburg Distillery

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• Life & Culture
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St. Petersburg Distillery opens new garden, just the start of huge expansion

• Michelle Stark Times staff

ST. PETERSBURG — The president of St. Petersburg Distillery looked up at the four silos recently installed in the active construction zone behind their current tasting room, squinting toward the noon sun at the towering stainless steel tanks.

Installed in 2022, these 68-ton, 35-foot-tall containers used for holding grain are the centerpiece of a massive renovation and expansion coming to the space between 31st and 28th streets S near the Pinellas Trail.

“You know, it’s a pain in the butt to build a real working distillery in Florida, especially on this peninsula of a peninsula we’re on,” said Matt Armstrong. “That’s why real distilleries don’t exist here like they do in other states.”

Armstrong and the rest of the 10-person team at St. Petersburg Distillery are working to change that. On Friday, the distillery’s new Spirit Garden will hold its grand opening, the chic outdoor space marking the beginning of a multiyear project that will include a new tasting room, a lab and, eventually, an event hall, another outdoor space and a rooftop restaurant on their 28-acre plot of land.

When Armstrong talks about “real distilleries,” he’s talking about ones in places like Kentucky: Maker’s Mark, Buffalo Trace, the big names. Places where the grain is procured from nearby farms and the well water used in the production of spirits like bourbon and whiskey might come from the ground underneath the distillery.

That’s not exactly common in Florida.

“We drilled 100 feet down into the ground and the water was still 73 degrees,” instead of an ideal 60 degrees or less, said Armstrong.

St. Petersburg Distillery is open to the public Wednesday through Sunday for tastings and tours, but has mainly focused on producing its from-scratch liquors since it was founded in 2014: Old St. Pete Gin, Banyan Reserve Vodka, Oak and Palm Rum and Tippler’s Orange Liqueur. The bottles are sold in liquor stores all over, and featured in cocktails at Tampa Bay bars.

The Spirit Garden opening marks not just a transformation of their current space but of the company’s mindset and business model, too.

“Soul-searching” is too dramatic a term for what Armstrong and his team did back around 2020, he said, shortly after the pandemic upended everyone’s lives. But it’s not far off.

“We had to sit down and think about who we were, and who we wanted to be,” Armstrong said. “We finally decided, we’re not going to try to be everyone else.”

For the distillery, that meant scaling up — and outward into the community — to be able to create a product that is distinctly Floridian. Over the past four years, they’ve purchased new equipment that will allow them to produce more liquor than they ever have, which will help with the ultimate goal: Keep things local.

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This coincided with a major shift in the Florida distillery industry: In 2021, Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a bill eliminating production caps on licensed distilleries in the state. Starting that summer, distilleries were able to produce 250,000 gallons annually, three times the quantity previously allowed.

Each one of those new silos at the distillery can hold 64 to 68 tons of grain, each about the size of a rail car, which is crucial to their efforts to keep the production process contained to the Sunshine State. When the amount of spirits they could produce was capped, it didn’t make sense financially to partner with local farms to buy ingredients, so they had to source from other parts of the country for things like corn and rye.

Producing more allowed them to embark on a partnership with a family-owned farm in Hamilton County in North Florida, from which they now get their grain.

“Even though we may yield less from a place like that, the products that actually come from Florida have a different taste and flavor profile,” Armstrong said. “It’s a good thing for folks traveling the world looking for different experiences and flavors.”

Walking through the distillery on a recent weekday, Armstrong and Yisleny Serrano, the tasting room manager and events coordinator, talked about wanting to take the public along on that grain-to-glass journey.

They scooted around a maze of tubes, clear in some parts, that will allow those taking a tour at the new facility to see grain flowing from the silos to the next part of the distilling process.

Armstrong pointed out the room that will become a lab, where tasters will test in-the-works spirits. Just above that, a new upstairs tasting room experience will cap each public tour.

“The idea is to innovate and create things that don’t exist yet instead of copying stuff,” Armstrong said. “If people want peanut butter whiskey, they can get that somewhere else.”

Armstrong, who is currently vice president of the Florida Craft Spirits Association, and his team helped with the creation of the Florida Distillery Trail, which is modeled after Kentucky’s Bourbon Trail. They’re passionate about creating tourism that will attract liquor enthusiasts looking for something unique.

“We’re okay with our product not being like Kentucky’s,” Armstrong said. “Because it will be like Florida. We know now who we are as a company.”

The new Spirit Garden is a bridge to what’s to come. A large outdoor space that sits in front of the distillery’s current front door, it’s made up of a handful of shipping containers outside of which guests can lounge in covered seating. In one container, there’s a bar that will serve cocktails made with the distillery’s spirits. In another, the new Cala Italian Kitchen (from the folks behind the temporarily closed St. Petersburg restaurant Italy Bottega) will be cooking food to order. Armstrong said they eventually want to bring in local artists to paint a mural on the pavement.

The rest of the renovations are a ways off: The new tasting room and lab in the main building should be done by this time next year, Armstrong said, while the rest of the space being developed closer to 28th Street S will take another 24 to 36 months.

They figured the Spirit Garden could be a place for the public to gather now, a way to introduce the distillery’s new ambitions to the community. The containers that form the garden already existed on their lot, Armstrong said, and it took the small distillery staff a lot of time and “back-breaking work” to clean and paint them.

“That craft spirit really runs through everything we do,” Armstrong said.

If you go to St. Petersburg Distillery

St. Petersburg Distillery is located at 800 31st St. S. 727-914-0931. The Spirit Garden will be open 5-10 p.m. Tuesday-Thursday, 5-11 p.m. Friday-Saturday and 5-9 p.m. Sunday. The tasting room is open 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Wednesday-Saturday and noon-6 p.m. Sunday.

Michelle Stark is the assistant editor overseeing the life and culture reporting team. Reach her at [email protected].

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