It's not often that a gin release sends people into a frenzy. Whiskey releases, sure. We're used to seeing bourbon enthusiasts go nuts for annual releases from Pappy Van Winkle, Buffalo Trace, Michter’s and more, but gin? There's really only one gin that reliably gets people buzzing with a limited annual release so anticipated it has a raffle for the initial buyers. That gin, of course, is Monkey 47's annual Distiller's Cut, and the brand has just unveiled its 2023 edition. Here's everything you need to know about the year's most anticipated gin.
What is Monkey 47 Distiller's Cut?
In case you are unfamiliar with just what Monkey 47 Distiller's Cut is in the first place, here's the scoop: Monkey 47 is a premium gin on its own — the regular version stands as our top splurge gin to buy. The dry gin comes from Germany's Schwarzwald, or Black Forest, which is also the source of the 47 different botanicals that are used to craft the complex and flavorful gin. But once a year, the distillers of Monkey 47 scour the globe for a 48th ingredient to see how it changes the character of the gin. The Distiller's Cut is a limited annual release featuring this exclusive 48th botanical ingredient, which changes every year.
How does this year's Monkey 47 Distiller's Cut 2023 compare to last year's?
The 2022 Monkey 47 Distiller's Cut kept things close to home with its extra botanical, opting to go with woodruff, a fragrant herb grown in the Black Forest. But for 2023, the Monkey 47 team traveled just a bit further — to Canada — and obtained some of the world's finest maple syrup to add as the 48th ingredient. The maple syrup in Distiller's Cut 2023 was sourced from Cosman & Webb Farm in Southern Quebec, a family-owned operation which has been producing organic maple syrup the old-fashioned way for nearly 50 years.
Tasting the two side by side, it's quite remarkable just how much of a difference a single ingredient can make in a gin that already has 47 other flavors fighting for attention. The woodruff-tinged 2022 Distiller's Cut is incredibly fragrant — it smells like a mossy, mist-filled forest and I'm tempted to pour some in a sprayer bottle and use it as a room spray. I'm kidding (kinda), but it really smells great. On the palate, it's spicier than the nose would indicate. There's lots of cinnamon to go along with the overall herbaceous theme, and it's extremely dry.
By contrast, the 2023 Monkey 47 Distiller's Cut is a much sweeter beast. On the nose, it's more neutral and less fragrant overall. It smells vaguely sweet, similar to fresh sap but certainly not like maple syrup. On the tongue, it's decidedly delicious and unlike any gin I've tasted before. It's sweeter, for sure, but this is still a dry gin. If anything, the addition of maple seems to have smoothed out the dryness just a bit, making the flavor profile of the gin more rounded. There are still plenty of other herbs and spices vying for attention, but overall the profile is smoother, sweeter and less spicy than last year. You can't go wrong with either, honestly, and each will appeal to different tastes and moods.
How to buy Monkey 47 Distiller's Cut
Getting a hold of Monkey 47 Distiller's Cut requires jumping through a few hoops, at least if you want to be one of the first to try it and live outside the U.S. For European residents, you need to go to the distillery's website and sign up for a raffle for a chance to buy. The raffle runs now through October 11, with the winners of the raffle set to be emailed on October 12 with instructions on how to buy for the retail price of 80 euros. If you live in the U.S., you're not out of luck — you'll just have to wait a bit longer before purchasing. Bottles will be available on both Caskers and Flaviar, as well as select in-person liquor retailers, for the SRP of $80 on November 1.
