I first stumbled onto the Monkey Gland cocktail during a somewhat misguided mission to impress my friends with old-school, Prohibition-era drinks – think bowties, jazz records, too much orange juice squeezed by hand. Out of all the concoctions I tried, the Monkey Gland is the one that really stuck with me. It’s the perfect mix of oddly sophisticated and straight-up weird, which is exactly my vibe.
Let’s get the burning question out of the way: yes, the name is both ridiculous and a little off-putting. It hails from a bizarre chapter of 1920s medical history when some very confident doctors decided grafting monkey testicle tissue into men would somehow restore youth and vigor. Don’t worry, the only thing you’ll find floating in your glass is a twist of orange peel. Harry MacElhone at Harry’s New York Bar in Paris apparently found the idea amusing enough to name this drink after it, and it caught on with all the Americans who’d escaped to Paris to keep drinking while Prohibition was in full swing back home.
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After making this cocktail more times than I’ll admit, I can say it’s all about balance. The backbone is your gin – something with some decent botanicals, like Beefeater or even a punchy local bottle if you’ve got one on hand. Orange juice gives it this bright, sunny flavor, and the absinthe sneaks in just at the edges, adding complexity but not overwhelming things; it’s like the plot twist at the end of a good movie.
One of my favorite Monkey Gland moments: last summer, at a backyard party, my neighbor Tom – proudly anti-black-licorice in all forms – downed three of these before I let slip that there was absinthe involved. His look of betrayal lasted about two seconds, then he shrugged and admitted he genuinely liked it.
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Monkey Gland Recipe
- 2 oz gin (pick one with some oomph – Beefeater is my go-to)
- 1 oz fresh-squeezed orange juice (don’t cheat here; it makes all the difference)
- 1 tsp grenadine (homemade if you’re feeling fancy, but the bottled stuff works in a pinch)
- 2–3 drops absinthe (seriously, a little goes a long way)
- Orange peel, for garnish
- Ice cubes
How To Make It:
- Add gin, orange juice, and grenadine to a shaker with ice.
- Add those precious drops of absinthe. If you’re cautious, just swirl it inside the glass for a gentle mist.
- Shake for about 20 seconds, until the shaker is good and frosty.
- Strain into a chilled cocktail glass.
- Take your orange peel and run it around the rim, give it a nice twist over the drink to spritz those oils, and drop it in.
I’ve played around with the formula whenever I run out of ingredients. If you don’t have absinthe, a few drops of Pernod or even Sambuca works. The flavor shifts but keeps the drink’s quirky spirit. If you’ve got guests (read: picky drinkers) who turn up their noses at anything remotely tasting of anise, try just rinsing the glass with absinthe instead of adding it in.
This isn’t just a one-hit-wonder cocktail, either. It pairs beautifully with snacks – think manchego cheese, spicy Asian takeout, or even a shrimp cocktail if you want to go full retro. The sweet citrus really cuts through salty, fatty foods, making it a secretly versatile party drink.
What I love most about the Monkey Gland is the way it instantly becomes a conversation piece. Without fail, someone asks about the name, and suddenly we’re debating 1920s Paris, weird medical fads, and who actually looked up what was in their drink before sipping it. You don’t get that with your standard G&T.
On the off chance you’re skipping alcohol, I’ve rigged up a surprisingly good mocktail: orange juice, a splash of grapefruit juice (for a bitter edge), grenadine, and just a few drops of anise extract. It’s not the original, but it’s got the same cheeky attitude.
So if you’re itching to shake up your usual cocktail lineup – or just want to see the look on your friends’ faces when you tell them what they’re drinking – give the Monkey Gland a go. It’s strange, slightly scandalous, and honestly, completely delicious. Try it out and let the conversations begin.
