When “savouring” absorbs “saving” among SA’s jetset crowd

Picture it: Cape Town, 02 July 2026, just as the sun was setting on another glorious yet sunny wintry day.

The golden liquid was flowing, the beautiful people were arriving, and it was all going down at The Athletic Club and Social – a multi-level venue at 35 Buitengracht Street, where a VIP Monkey Shoulder launch was just kicking off, writes Vanessa Rogers.

A placard at the entrance announced, “Welcome to the Monkey Shoulder Old Fashioned Cocktail Experience”, just beside where the talented mixologist-on-duty was furnishing media dignitaries and other high-profile guests with a glass of something-something: a classic cocktail called an Old Fashioned.

Dressed up in pearls, faux furs, vintage glamour and modern swagger, those attending enquired about the recipe (as any good media mogul does), before taking a sip, or gulp, depending on the stress of the day just passed.

The Old Fashioned Cocktail Experience

For the cocktail virgins, an Old Fashioned is concocted by muddling a sugar cube (or simple syrup) with water and a few dashes of Angostura bitters, which in this case was then combined with 60g of Monkey Shoulder whisky (rather than traditional Bourbon), and served over a large ice cube garnished with citrus.

Whisky culture among young, middle-class South Africans – the country’s powerhouse consumer demographic deluxe – has shifted from an old-school status symbol to a vibrant, experiential lifestyle choice.

The traditional mindset of keeping a premium bottle sealed for a distant "special occasion" is a thing of the distant past.

Instead, rising middle-class drinkers treat premium whisky as something to experience in the moment, rather than to admire from afar.

About Monkey Shoulder

Monkey Shoulder is a blended malt Scotch whisky that originates from the Speyside region of Scotland.

Produced by William Grant & Sons, it combines single malts from three of their distinguished distilleries: Glenfiddich, Balvenie, and Kininvie.

The name itself is a tribute to Scotland's historic maltmen.

Before mechanisation, workers had to manually turn germinating barley with heavy wooden shovels – a gruelling repetitive task that frequently caused their arms to droop, an occupational strain that was jokingly referred to as "monkey shoulder".

The Evening Entertainment

As work stress evaporated and the party vibe took over, guests boogied on down to the vibes of dynamic husband-and-wife DJ pairing, the Dlamini Duo.

Yes, indeed – even marriage can come with a twist.

Synonymous for taking to the decks together, the Duo delivered a high-energy set packed with old favourites, both reimagined and remixed.

Whisky Consumption In South Africa

A few factoids for the stats-brigade:

Whisky is the most consumed spirit in South Africa, with over four million drinkers driving significant volume.

It has progressively dethroned brandy, which was historically the country's default dark spirit but is now seen by younger generations as outdated.

South Africa consistently ranks among the top five largest export markets globally for Scotch whisky by volume.

The demographic profile of the typical consumer has also seen a permanent about turn.

While the space was historically white- and male-dominated, South Africa’s young, black middle-class women are rapidly adopting single malts, thereby aggressively breaking down traditional gender barriers in their spirits consumption.

Responsible Enjoyment

Sidebar:

Responsible Enjoyment: Great nights are best enjoyed responsibly. Monkey Shoulder is not for sale to persons under the age of 18. Please drink responsibly

Your safe ride home awaits…