What is the difference between Monkey Shoulder and Johnnie Walker Double Black?

Monkey Shoulder is a blended malt made only from malt whisky; Double Black is a blended Scotch of malt and grain whiskies. Neither has an age statement. In Kaz's tasting, Double Black is clearly smokier, spicier, woodier and fuller; Monkey Shoulder is softer, creamier and vanilla-led, with barely any smoke.

Is Double Black better than Monkey Shoulder?

For neat drinking, yes: Kaz rates Double Black higher (4.2 against 3.6). For highballs, both are rated Excellent, and Monkey Shoulder's softer style makes it a strong pick if you don't want smoke.

Which is smokier, Monkey Shoulder or Double Black?

Double Black, clearly. It scores 3 out of 5 for Smoke / Peat on Dram Verdict's Flavor Profile against Monkey Shoulder's 1. Its smoke is noticeable and a little tarry, but not heavy.

Which is better for beginners, Monkey Shoulder or Double Black?

Monkey Shoulder is the softer, easier style, with barely any smoke, and a good fit for newcomers, especially in a highball. Double Black's smoke may feel like a lot at first to drinkers who aren't used to smoky whisky.

Which makes a better highball, Monkey Shoulder or Double Black?

Both are rated Excellent as a highball. Monkey Shoulder's is lightly sweet and crisp; Double Black's is balanced, with the smoke lifting away lightly.

Is Monkey Shoulder a blended Scotch?

It's a blended malt Scotch, a blend of malt whiskies only, with no grain whisky. Johnnie Walker Double Black is a blended Scotch, which combines malt and grain whiskies.

Monkey Shoulder vs Johnnie Walker Double Black: Which Should You Buy?

13/10/2026

Monkey Shoulder and Johnnie Walker Double Black are both popular, approachable Scotch whiskies, but they aren’t the same kind of Scotch and they don’t taste alike. Monkey Shoulder is a blended malt, made only from malt whisky, while Double Black is a blended Scotch of malt and grain whiskies; neither carries an age statement. Kaz has tasted both first-hand, and this comparison is built on that tasting: the same notes, scores and serve ratings behind each bottle’s own Dram Verdict review. The real decision here is style, and above all how much smoke you want.

Contents

Quick Verdict

Choose Double Black if you’ll drink it neat or over ice, or if you want smoke: in Kaz’s tasting it’s clearly smokier, richer and fuller-bodied, with more spice and oak, and it scores higher (4.2 against 3.6). Choose Monkey Shoulder if you want a mellow, creamy, vanilla-led Scotch with barely any smoke, especially for highballs and mixed drinks, where it genuinely shines. Both are rated Excellent as a highball, so there the difference is style, not quality.

Quick Comparison

	Monkey Shoulder	Double Black
Type	Blended malt Scotch	Blended Scotch
Age	Tie (no age statement)
ABV	40% as reviewed (US bottles listed at 43%)	40%
Character	Mellow, Creamy, Sweet	Smoky, Rich, Balanced
Sweetness	Tie (3 / 5)
Fruit	Tie (2 / 5)
Spice	2 / 5	3 / 5
Oak	2 / 5	3 / 5
Smoke / Peat	1 / 5	3 / 5
Body	2 / 5	3 / 5
With water	Fair	Good
On the rocks	Good	Very Good
Highball	Tie (Excellent)
Dram Verdict score	3.6	4.2

The two tie on sweetness and fruit. The differences sit in smoke, spice, oak and weight, and Double Black has more of each. A higher number means more of that flavor, not a better whisky: the question is which style you want in the glass.

Blended Malt vs Blended Scotch

Monkey Shoulder is a blended malt: William Grant & Sons describes it as small batches of Speyside single malts married together, and as 100% malt whisky “made for mixing.” Double Black is a blended Scotch, which combines malt and grain whiskies; Johnnie Walker presents it as a blended Scotch with “a lingering smokiness.” Neither category is automatically better, and being an all-malt blend doesn’t make Monkey Shoulder fuller or more complex. In Kaz’s tasting, Double Black is the fuller and more intense of the two.

The Biggest Difference: Smoke

This is the clearest gap. On Dram Verdict’s Flavor Profile, Double Black scores 3 out of 5 for Smoke / Peat against Monkey Shoulder’s 1. Kaz finds Double Black’s smoke clearly there and a little tarry, but never heavy, with honey and malt sweetness keeping it balanced; it isn’t Islay-malt levels of smoke. Monkey Shoulder has only a faint touch of smoke on the palate, and its character is vanilla, malt and soft fruit. If you don’t want smoke, Monkey Shoulder is the safer choice; if you do, Double Black delivers it without tipping into heavy peat. Note that this compares the standard Monkey Shoulder, not the brand’s separate smoky release.

Nose

Monkey Shoulder is fresh and bright on the nose, with orange, vanilla, spice and oak. Double Black brings sweetness and smoke without heaviness: vanilla, chocolate, honey, apple, smoke and citrus. Both open with vanilla and a citrus note; Double Black adds smoke, chocolate and honey.

Palate

Both are creamy. Monkey Shoulder is smooth and lighter, with vanilla, malt, pear, cinnamon and only a faint touch of smoke. Double Black is built on a thick, well-balanced mouthfeel with honey, cereal, a salty note, smoke, tar, wood and cinnamon. Monkey Shoulder stays soft and vanilla-led; Double Black moves toward smoke, tar and wood.

Finish

Monkey Shoulder finishes on vanilla sweetness, with oak and spice lingering in good measure. Double Black finishes with malty sweetness and smoke, then a woody, spicy close that also lingers in good measure. Similar length; Double Black ends smokier and woodier.

Flavor Profile Differences

Double Black rates higher than Monkey Shoulder on spice, oak and body by one point each, and on smoke by two points; the two tie on sweetness and fruit. In practice that means Double Black is smokier, spicier, woodier and heavier on the palate, while Monkey Shoulder is lighter, gentler and vanilla-led, with smoke barely there.

Which Is Better Neat?

Double Black, based on Kaz’s tasting. Neat is where Double Black’s sweetness, smoke and oak are easiest to read, and although there’s a slight alcohol edge, it scores 4.2. Monkey Shoulder is creamy, smooth and pleasant neat, but some alcohol shows and it has no standout character, so drinkers who want more power or depth neat may find it underwhelming; it scores 3.6. If you mostly sip your whisky straight, this is the clearest difference between them.

Which Is Better With Water?

Double Black is rated Good with water against Monkey Shoulder’s Fair. Twice up, Double Black doesn’t thin out too much: its sweetness comes forward and the smoke lifts to a lighter, pleasant level. At a full 1:1, Monkey Shoulder is over-diluted, and a small splash suits it better.

Which Is Better On the Rocks?

Double Black is rated Very Good on the rocks against Monkey Shoulder’s Good. Over ice, Double Black’s sweetness is held back and its smoke and acidity stand out, though it softens and stays easy to drink. Monkey Shoulder’s fruit, bitterness and spice come forward over ice, a good option if you want less sweetness.

Which Makes the Better Highball?

A tie: both are rated Excellent, so this comes down to style. Monkey Shoulder makes a lightly sweet, crisp, very easy-going highball. Double Black’s is balanced too, with the smoke lifting away lightly, and Kaz calls it probably the most widely appealing way to drink it. Choose Monkey Shoulder for a softer, cleaner highball, Double Black if you want some smoke in the glass.

Monkey Shoulder vs Johnnie Walker Double Black: Which Should You Buy?

Buy Monkey Shoulder if you prefer little or no smoke; you want a mellow, creamy, vanilla-led style; you mostly drink highballs or mixed drinks; or you’re new to whisky and want something easy and smooth. It’s less suited to neat drinkers who want power and depth.

Buy Double Black if you’ll drink it neat or on the rocks; you want clear smoke without heavy peat; you like a richer, thicker, woodier Scotch; or you enjoy Johnnie Walker Black Label but want more smoke and body. Newcomers who aren’t used to smoky whisky may find its punch a lot at first.

Overall: Kaz rates Double Black higher (4.2 against 3.6) because it’s the more complete whisky neat. But they suit different drinkers: if smoke isn’t for you, or you mostly mix, Monkey Shoulder is the better fit. Pick by how much smoke you want and how you drink. To see how each one compares with Johnnie Walker Black Label, read Monkey Shoulder vs Black Label and Double Black vs Black Label, or browse the Blended Malt and Blended Scotch archives.

What is the difference between Monkey Shoulder and Johnnie Walker Double Black?: Monkey Shoulder is a blended malt made only from malt whisky; Double Black is a blended Scotch of malt and grain whiskies. Neither has an age statement. In Kaz’s tasting, Double Black is clearly smokier, spicier, woodier and fuller; Monkey Shoulder is softer, creamier and vanilla-led, with barely any smoke.
Is Double Black better than Monkey Shoulder?: For neat drinking, yes: Kaz rates Double Black higher (4.2 against 3.6). For highballs, both are rated Excellent, and Monkey Shoulder’s softer style makes it a strong pick if you don’t want smoke.
Which is smokier, Monkey Shoulder or Double Black?: Double Black, clearly. It scores 3 out of 5 for Smoke / Peat on Dram Verdict’s Flavor Profile against Monkey Shoulder’s 1. Its smoke is noticeable and a little tarry, but not heavy.
Which is better for beginners, Monkey Shoulder or Double Black?: Monkey Shoulder is the softer, easier style, with barely any smoke, and a good fit for newcomers, especially in a highball. Double Black’s smoke may feel like a lot at first to drinkers who aren’t used to smoky whisky.
Which makes a better highball, Monkey Shoulder or Double Black?: Both are rated Excellent as a highball. Monkey Shoulder’s is lightly sweet and crisp; Double Black’s is balanced, with the smoke lifting away lightly.
Is Monkey Shoulder a blended Scotch?: It’s a blended malt Scotch, a blend of malt whiskies only, with no grain whisky. Johnnie Walker Double Black is a blended Scotch, which combines malt and grain whiskies.