Monkey Shoulder has launched its inaugural year as Official Scotch Whisky Partner of The World's 50 Best Bars, marking a two-year global partnership that will see the Speyside blended malt support major bar competitions across regions. The partnership kicked off July 28 at Asia's 50 Best Bars 2026 ceremony in Macau, where Modernhaus Jakarta was named The Best Bar in Indonesia. The Jakarta establishment also ranked 11th overall in the Asia's 50 Best Bars rankings.

Indonesia's Best Bar Focuses on Local Sourcing Modernhaus operates with a commitment to locally sourced ingredients and zero-waste practices. Its cocktail menu is organized into four categories inspired by plant anatomy—roots, fruits, leaves, and flowers—each designed to showcase Indonesian botanicals. The bar employs fermentation techniques including homemade makgeolli and fruit wines made with local berries, alongside regional spirits such as sopi and arrack. Upcycled ingredients feature throughout to minimize environmental impact.

Monkey Shoulder Cocktails Celebrate Regional Creativity At the Macau ceremony, Monkey Shoulder collaborated with bartenders across Asia to create locally inspired Old Fashioned variations. Mark Lloyd of Wynn Palace's Wing Lei Bar served the Bubble Tea Old Fashioned—made with Monkey Shoulder, black sugar tea syrup, and a milk-washed finish, finished with boba pearls in a rocks glass over a large ice cube. At the Bartenders' Feast, guests were served the Rooted Monkey, created by Wynn Palace's bartending team using Monkey Shoulder Blended Malt Scotch Whisky, Back To The Roots Root Beer Liqueur, and black walnut. The partnership extends beyond Asia. Monkey Shoulder has worked with bartenders globally on Old Fashioned twists for 50 Best events in North America, Europe, and now Asia. These include Ian McPhearson of Edinburgh's Panda & Sons with the Boilermaker Old Fashioned, made with Monkey Shoulder using a 'switched' technique with NOAM Beer and demerara syrup; Nick Vrielink of Amsterdam's Fitz Bar with the BSB Old Fashioned, made with Monkey Shoulder, air-distilled Guinness hydrolate, barley malt, and toasted rye bread.

Partnership Targets Bartender Support Joe Petch, Global Brand Ambassador for Monkey Shoulder, said: "The World's 50 bar excellence and support the bartenders driving culture forward across the globe - the people and places that truly inspire our brand." Monkey Shoulder is a blended malt Scotch whisky crafted in Speyside by William Grant & Sons, the independent family-owned distiller founded in 1887. The brand is positioned for both neat consumption and use in classic cocktails.

Why It Matters

The partnership signals a major spirits brand's strategic commitment to the global bartending community at a time when craft cocktails and local ingredient sourcing are central to bar differentiation. For operators, Modernhaus's recognition underscores the market viability of sustainability-focused, locally rooted cocktail programs.

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Written by FBM Publications Editors