The Monkey Gland is a classic cocktail that originated in Paris, France, during the 1920s. It was created by Harry MacElhone, the Scottish bartender who owned Harry’s New York Bar in Paris, a popular venue for expatriates and celebrities. The drink is named after a controversial medical procedure developed by Serge Voronoff, a Russian-French surgeon, who grafted monkey testicle tissue onto humans, claiming it had rejuvenating properties. The procedure garnered widespread attention and was considered a symbol of modernist eccentricity in the era.

The Monkey Gland cocktail typically consists of gin, orange juice, grenadine, and a few drops of absinthe or another anise-flavored spirit. The standard proportions are about 45 ml of gin, 45 ml of fresh orange juice, 2 drops of absinthe, and 2 teaspoons of grenadine. The ingredients are shaken with ice and then strained into a chilled cocktail glass.

The cocktail’s bright color and theatrical name reflect the spirit of the 1920s in Paris, an era characterized by innovation and flamboyant nightlife. The use of absinthe links the Monkey Gland to French drinking culture, although absinthe was banned in France for much of the early 20th century; bartenders often substituted other anise-flavored liqueurs like pastis.

The Monkey Gland has appeared in many classic bartending manuals, including MacElhone’s own “Harry’s ABC of Mixing Cocktails” (first published in 1922). Its fame spread to the United States in the years following its creation, and it became part of the standard repertoire of cocktails from the Prohibition era. Despite the sensational name, the Monkey Gland’s appeal lies in its balanced combination of fruit, sweetness, and herbal notes.