At one time, Monkey Shoulder referred to a temporary injury suffered by the malt men when turning the barley by hand. Today, the name Monkey Shoulder lives on as an affectionate tribute to the malt-men of Yore in recognition of the time they suffered for their injury. On its own Monkey Shoulder is smooth and rich, the brand is known for its three monkeys on the bottle. Each monkey represents one of the three malts which makes Monkey Shoulder: Glenfiddich, Balvenie and Kininvie.