Copper Dog Speyside Blended Malt Scotch Whisky | 40% vol | 70cl | Combination of 8 Single Malts | Notes of Spice | Fruit & Vanilla | Speyside Whisky | Best Served Neat or in Cocktails

Product Information

When debating which whisky is superior, Copper Dog or Monkey Shoulder, the selection ultimately boils down to personal preference. Both spirits feature an individual flavour profile that can appeal to a variety of taste palates.

Speyside whiskies offer a unique flavour profile, with their light and mellow reminder of honey, citrus fruits, vanilla, oak and smoke. They are often referred to as “sweet” or “smooth”, due to the low peatiness and smokiness. As such they make an ideal selection for either everyday drinking or introducing someone new to Scotch whisky.Arguably many consider Monkey Shoulder to be good enough to drink neat, which is a testament to quality of the malts in the blend.

Born out of the warm and mischievous atmosphere of the Copper Dog pub in the Craigellachie Hotel, Speyside, the liquid is a creation of a group of collaborators, connected by the original instigator Piers Adams, an entrepreneur and founder of some of the world’s most influential bars and clubs, including London’s Mahiki and Whisky Mist. Together, they got on to create a whisky that is rouge, inclusive, real and rascally.Both Copper Dog and Monkey Shoulder offer great value for money, given that they are both priced almost identically. Both whiskies contain carefully sourced malts from Speyside distilleries, creating an intense flavour profile full of complexities. In this personal blog, I share my knowledge and insights on Whisky, Whiskey & Bourbon and other spirits, drawing from my 30 years of extensive experience.

In contrast to Copper Dog, Monkey Shoulder is more on the fruity side and works best when paired with dishes that highlight its sweet taste. Its berry notes make it the perfect addition to any dessert plate – from a classic apple crumble to a moreish chocolate brownie. Chocolate BrowniesThe tartness of the fruit jam paired with the smoothness of the whisky creates a dynamic flavour profile that is both refreshing and indulgent. The sweetness from the jam and Prosecco also helps to bring out the subtle nuances in the whisky’s flavour profile – from its robust winter spice notes to its hints of honeyed oak.

Bottled at 80 proof, Copper Dog Speyside Malt Scotch Whisky, which is owned by Diageo today, is a non-age statement whisky that is a blend of at least eight single malt scotch whiskies, each of which comes from Scottish family-owned distilleries located in the Speyside region. While these individual blends were aged in a variety of cask types, they have been married in ex-bourbon hogsheads for this expression. Monkey Shoulder is an accessible whisky, making it an excellent choice for Scotch newcomers seeking an approachable and affordable option. Raised in a century old tradition of making one’s own, they blended from wherever they could, from different casks and different distilleries using all kinds of mechanisms to get their own blends home. But the most celebrated tales were around a device called the ‘Copper Dog’. These were bits of copper tubing with a penny soldered to one end and a cork in the other. They hid these copper dogs down their trouser legs and in their belts.Phenomenal value! You’d have to be slightly crazy not to buy a couple of bottles immediately. Highly recommend.” (Paul Pacult, Spirits Journal) Monkey Shoulder also pairs well alongside creamy desserts such as ice cream or crème brulee – bringing out the sweet undertones of the whisky without overpowering other flavours.