Fashion Monkey Recipe
A blend of whiskies (Tullamore Dew Irish and Whistle Pig 10 year Rye) with Meletti Amaro and just a hint of Grand Marnier, all barrel aged together, served on the big rock. More fun than an old fashioned barrel of monkeys!
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Ingredients
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Cocktail Blend (to be barrel-aged)
For Serving
Equipment & Accoutrements
Method
Cocktail Blend (to be barrel-aged)
- 1
Combine spirits and liqueurs
Measure 1 cup Tullamore Dew Irish whiskey, 1 cup WhistlePig 10 Year rye, 1/2 cup Meletti Amaro, and 1/4 cup Grand Marnier. Pour all into a clean mixing vessel or a bottle that will fit into the barrel or oak container for aging.
- 2
Fill and seal barrel
Transfer the combined blend into a small charred oak barrel (or a glass vessel with oak staves). Fill to appropriate level, leaving a little headspace for expansion, then seal or bung the barrel. If using oak staves in a bottle, ensure staves are submerged and the vessel is closed.
- 3
Age
Store barrel at room temperature away from direct sunlight. Taste every 3–4 days after the first week. Depending on barrel size and char level, age 1–4 weeks until the spirit has taken on gentle oak, softened the rye bite, and the amaro integrates. For a pronounced oak note, lean toward 3–4 weeks; for a lighter touch, 7–10 days may suffice.
- 4
Finish and rest
When the desired flavor balance is reached, decant the aged blend out of the barrel into a clean bottle. Let rest 24–48 hours to allow the flavors to marry further before serving.
For Serving
- 5
Prepare glass and ice
Place one large ice cube (big rock) into a chilled rocks glass. If you don't have a big mold, use the largest clear cube available.
- 6
Stir and pour
Pour 2.5 oz (approximately 75 ml) of the aged Fashion Monkey blend over the large ice cube. If you prefer a slightly stronger or lighter drink, adjust between 2–3 oz (60–90 ml).
- 7
- 8
Serve
Serve immediately. Encourage the drinker to sip slowly to enjoy the interplay of rye spice, Irish whiskey smoothness, bittersweet Meletti, and the subtle orange from Grand Marnier sealed in oak.
Notes & Adjustments
- 9
Batch scaling: the ingredient volumes provided for barrel-aging (1 cup Tullamore, 1 cup WhistlePig, 1/2 cup Meletti, 1/4 cup Grand Marnier) yield roughly 2 cups of blend (about 480 ml). At 2.5 oz servings, this yields ~6 servings. Scale proportions up or down to fit barrel size. If you want a brighter orange note, increase Grand Marnier up to 1/3 cup in the blend; for more amaro bitterness, increase Meletti slightly. Always taste during aging.
