Monkey Shoulder is a vatted whisky that despite being a blend of three distillery's malts is so rare that shots on the west coast of the U.S. have typically sold for $20 a glass... when entire bottles sell for under $30. I encountered a bottle of Monkey ...
A vibrant young Laphroaig whose maturation has been accelerated by ageing in quarter casks. This shows soft sweetness and a velvety feel when first tasted, then the intense peatiness so unique to Laphroaig comes bursting through. A terrific whisky and great value.
Nose: Powerful smoke, sweet malt, wet turf, coal. Develops chocolate & cinnamon.
Palate: Full-bodied, rich and mouth-coating. Delicious sweet gristy malt and rich peat, woodsmoke. The coal appears mid-palate.
Finish: Very long, sweet and smoky, with the coal lingering longest.