Admittedly, it appears somewhat eccentric to claim that a recipe for gin has the power to unite great British traditions, the exoticness of India, and the purity and nativeness of the Black Forest. And yet it is precisely this eccentricity that defines the enigmatic character of Montgomery Collins, from whom the Schwarzwald Dry Gin originates. His childhood as the son of a diplomat in East Asia, his military career among the ruins of Berlin, and his late-adopted home in the Black Forest supply the autobiographical background for a recipe that represents an audacious combination of native Black Forest herbs and berries and exotic Asian botanicals.

A good third of the ingredients for this special gin come from the Black Forest and are definitely not what you would call typical gin flavorings! In total, 47 handpicked ingredients, prepared in extremely soft spring water from the Black Forest source, give Monkey 47, whose pièce de résistance is the use of local lingonberries as some sort of "secret weapon" typical to the Black Forest, its unrivaled complexity and quality, which is fully brought to bear through masterly distillation and maturing in traditional earthenware containers.

Wild sloes diffuse an exquisite fragrance of mixed grenadine and rosemary, vine peach and red fruit.

Delicate palate. A fine film of fresh walnut and gentian initially coats the sloes. Then it moves on to find freshness in the shade of fir and chestnut trees.

Notes of moss and green grass gradually cover the aftertaste.

The long, well-balanced finish, is marked by notes of undergrowth (mushroom, loam), offers a taste of black fruits (blueberry, blackberry) and vanilla pods. Mentholated, it becomes increasingly spicy (pepper, cinnamon).