Old-fashioned warmth, with a delightfully modern twist

Just as the sun was setting on another crisp, clear winter day, Cape Town’s elite gathered to usher in a new era of whisky culture.

The golden liquid was flowing, the beautiful people were arriving, and it was all going down at The Athletic Club and Social: a multi-level venue at 35 Buitengracht Street, where a VIP Monkey Shoulder launch was taking centre stage.

A placard at the entrance announced, “Welcome to the Monkey Shoulder Old Fashioned Cocktail Experience”. Right beside it, a talented mixologist was furnishing media dignitaries and high-profile guests with a classic cocktail called an Old Fashioned. Dressed up in pearls, faux furs, vintage glamour and modern swagger, attendees curiously inspected the mixology before taking a savoury sip – or a well-deserved gulp, depending on the pace of their day.

For the cocktail novices, an Old Fashioned is traditionally concocted by muddling a sugar cube (or simple syrup) with water and a few dashes of Angostura bitters. In this case, the base was uniquely crafted with 60ml of Monkey Shoulder whisky (rather than traditional bourbon), served over a large ice cube and garnished with fresh citrus.

Whisky culture among young, middle-class South Africans – the country’s powerhouse consumer demographic – has shifted from an old-school status symbol to a vibrant, experiential lifestyle choice. The traditional mindset of keeping a premium bottle sealed, for a distant ‘special occasion’, is truly a thing of the past. Instead, rising middle-class drinkers treat premium whisky as an immediate sensory adventure rather than something to admire from afar.

Monkey Shoulder is a blended malt Scotch whisky that originates from the Speyside region of Scotland. Produced by William Grant & Sons, it combines single malts from three of its distinguished distilleries: Glenfiddich, Balvenie and Kininvie.

The name itself is a tribute to Scotland’s historic maltmen. Before mechanisation, workers manually turned germinating barley with heavy wooden shovels. This gruelling and highly repetitive task frequently caused their arms to droop – an occupational strain that was wryly referred to as ‘monkey shoulder’.

As work stress evaporated and the party vibe took over, guests hit the dance floor to the beats of dynamic husband-and-wife DJ pairing, the Dlamini Duo. Proving that even marriage can come with a creative twist, the synonymous deck-sharing duo delivered a high-energy set packed with old favourites, both reimagined and remixed.

The stats brigade: Essential whisky facts

• Whisky is the most consumed spirit in South Africa, with more than four million drinkers driving significant volume. It has progressively dethroned brandy, which was historically the country’s default dark spirit, but is now seen by younger generations as outdated.
• South Africa consistently ranks among the top five largest export markets globally for Scotch whisky by volume, alongside leading international markets such as India, France, the United States and Japan.
• The demographic profile of the typical consumer has undergone a permanent transformation. While the whisky scene was historically white- and male-dominated, South Africa’s young, black middle-class women are rapidly adopting single malts, thereby dismantling traditional gender barriers one glass at a time.

Responsible enjoyment

Great nights are best enjoyed responsibly. Monkey Shoulder is not for sale to persons under the age of 18. Please drink responsibly and ensure your e-hailing app or designated driver is locked in for a safe ride home.

Vanessa Rogers