Cascade Golfer 19th Hole

A star cocktail at James Beard’s Taste America Seattle

The Monkey Shoulder Monkey’s Paw Shaken’ – Not Stirred

BY BART POTTER • CG STAFF WRITER

This world-class Scotch, the right liqueur and creative touches make this a fan favorite

The Monkey’s Paw cocktail starts with Monkey Shoulder Blended Malt Scotch, a product of the worldwide distillers and distributors William Grant and Sons.

Monkey Shoulder works for the Monkey’s Paw and other cocktails because it’s one of the most mixable of blended Scotches for its smooth melding of Speyside single malt whiskies and its honey and barley flavor profile. Its affordable price (about $50 for 750 milliliters) makes Monkey Shoulder more suitable for mixing than more expensive blends or single malts.

Rosales began with what she knew she liked: “Scotch and vanilla is my favorite flavor combination.”

Giffard Banane du Bre sil liqueur slid right in with ease. “It turns the cocktail immediately into something tropical.”

A dash of black pepper tincture tempers the drink’s sweetness just enough.

At the James Beard event, in a ballroom thick with beverage professionals and their concoctions, the Monkey’s Paw stood out.

“Several people told me it was their favorite of the night,” Rosales said.

Herewith a little-known fact about this issue’s chosen booze brand, as explained on its label: “A malt man’s skill is demonstrated as he turns the malting barley by hand. Some malt men would develop a strain injury known as ‘monkey shoulder.’ Thankfully, the condition no longer exists.”

No worries when drinking a Monkey’s Paw: Easy on the palate, easy on the shoulder.

At Home Bar Mixology

The Monkey’s Paw

By Sara Rosales • Owner • Lady Jaye Smokehouse & Restaurant • Seattle

INGREDIENTS

• 2 ounces Monkey Shoulder blended Scotch

• 1 ounce lemon juice

• 1 ounce house-made vanilla syrup

• .5 ounce Giffard Banane du Bresil

• Black pepper tincture

INSTRUCTIONS

• Put all ingredients into a cocktail shaker with ice, shake vigorously, and strain into a coupe glass.

• Garnish with a black pepper and vanilla marshmallow.

• Choose proper or interesting glassware and enjoy over ice or up.

Lady Jaye’s Owner Sara Rosales & Mixology Master

Lady Jaye Smokehouse and Restaurant is a fixture after five years on the West Seattle scene, having survived the pandemic and flourished, with its premium-quality butcher shop/smokehouse and its sumptuous, meat-centered dining menu.

Don’t fail to check out Lady Jaye’s lineup of custom craft cocktails too, from the Bourbon Crusta (bourbon, Cointreau, lemon, absinthe) to the Rosalie (tequila blanco, fresh watermelon, lime, basil).

And now, ask for a Monkey’s Paw, the current featured Scotch cocktail in the joint.

Lady Jaye owner Sara Rosales created the Monkey’s Paw for the James Beard Taste America event in October at Seattle’s Four Seasons.

“It was crazy,” Rosales says. “I don’t get behind the bar too often anymore, but I did some cocktail shakin’ that night. My arms were sore the next day.”

Rosales had a decade and a half of bartending and experience as the manager at the opening of two Seattle eateries — Radiator Whiskey and the White Swan Public House — before she launched her own enterprise in 2019. Lady Jaye had seven months to get on solid footing before the pandemic kicked in, she says.

All the hard work has yielded another success.

______________