Monkey Gland No. 2
A citrus and herbal gin cocktail ∙ Shake ∙ 3 min ∙ 19.3% ABV ∙
A Monkey Gland No. 2 is a gin cocktail made with Bénédictine, fresh orange juice, and grenadine, shaken and served over ice.
Ingredients
1
Servings
Garnish
Instructions for 1 serving
- Pre-chill a glass
- Shake all ingredients with ice: London dry gin 40 mlBénédictine D.O.M. liqueur 10 mlOrange juice 25 mlGrenadine syrup 5 mlOrange bitters 2 dashes (opt.)
- Strain into the ice-filled glass
- Garnish with an orange slice
Tips
- Squeeze the orange juice fresh. At 25 ml it's the main mixer, and it's what keeps the grenadine in check.
History
Monkey Gland No. 2 is a variant of the Monkey Gland that swaps in Bénédictine for absinthe, following a substitution bartenders adopted once absinthe became hard to find or illegal in much of the world. The original Monkey Gland was created in the 1920s by Harry MacElhone, owner of Harry's New York Bar in Paris, who is credited with the drink in his own cocktail books. Its name comes from the rejuvenation procedure of Russian-born surgeon Serge Voronoff, who grafted monkey testicular tissue onto human patients.
The Bénédictine version became a common workaround in the United States, where absinthe was banned for decades, replacing the original's anise-and-herb note with the honeyed, spiced sweetness of the French liqueur.
FAQ
What is the best garnish for a Monkey Gland?
An orange slice, which echoes the orange juice in the shake and complements the Bénédictine.
