In the aftermath of World War II, a unique story unfolded in the Black Forest of Germany, centered around a man named Montgomery "Monty" Collins. Born in 1909 in Madras, India, to a British diplomat, Collins was a well-traveled and multilingual member of the Royal Air Force. His journey took him to Berlin in 1945, where he played a role in the British sector's administration during the city's reconstruction. There, Collins sponsored a monkey named Max at the Berlin Zoo, an event that would later inspire his gin-making venture.

After leaving the Royal Air Force in 1951, Collins moved to the Black Forest to pursue watchmaking, but this endeavor proved unsuccessful. Instead, he opened a guesthouse named "Zum wilden Affen" (The Wild Monkey), paying homage to Max. Collins' British heritage and love for gin led him to experiment with local botanicals, creating a distinctive gin recipe that combined the region's natural resources, including juniper, herbs, and pure water from the Black Forest​ (Monkey 47)​​ (Saucey)​.

Years later, in the early 2000s, this recipe was rediscovered in a wooden box during the renovation of Collins' guesthouse. The box contained a bottle of gin and a letter detailing the ingredients used in the original recipe. Alexander Stein, a businessman, and a distiller were intrigued by the story and decided to recreate the gin, launching Monkey 47 in 2010​.

Monkey 47 is named for its 47 botanicals and its alcohol content of 47%. These botanicals include exotic ingredients such as lingonberries, which are unique to this gin, alongside more traditional ones like juniper, citrus, and spices. The gin is distilled in the Black Forest using a combination of British traditions, Indian spices, and local flora, resulting in a complex and aromatic spirit that has gained a cult following among gin enthusiasts and mixologists worldwide​.

Today, Monkey 47 is celebrated for its robust flavor profile and versatility in cocktails, making it a favorite for sophisticated drinkers and connoisseurs of fine gin.