The Wine Reference🍷 SupportSchiedam: Jenever (genever)
The Dutch city of Schiedam was once full of distilleries making jenever, the malty ancestor of gin.
How it's made
Jenever is protected for the Netherlands, Belgium and nearby parts of France and Germany. 'Oude' and 'jonge' mean old and new styles, not age.
Rye, maize and malted barley are mashed, fermented and distilled several times in pot stills to make moutwijn (malt wine). This is then blended with a juniper and botanical distillate and neutral spirit.
History
From the 1600s Schiedam, near Rotterdam, grew into the world capital of genever, with hundreds of distilleries by the late 1800s. The city's giant windmills, among the tallest in the world, were built to grind grain for them.
Ageing and label terms
'Jonge' (young) and 'oude' (old) refer to the recipe, not age: oude genever has more malt wine and a fuller taste, jonge is lighter. Korenwijn has the most malt wine and is often aged in oak casks.
Styles
Malty, bready oude genever and korenwijn, cleaner jonge genever, and some barrel-aged versions with vanilla and spice.
Rules and protected names
Genever is protected in the EU and can only be made in the Netherlands, Belgium and small parts of northern France and Germany. Oude and jonge genever have their own protected definitions.
How to serve and classic cocktails
Served ice-cold in a tulip glass filled to the brim, often with a small beer on the side (a kopstootje). It also works well in an Old Fashioned or a Collins.
With food
Raw herring with onions, bitterballen, aged Gouda and smoked eel.
Good to know
Genever is the ancestor of gin: English soldiers and later the English court took a liking to it in the 1600s.
Producers
- Nolet
- De Kuyper
- Bols
Bottles to try
Bols Genever Original
Malty, bready base with juniper, hops and soft spice.
Strength: 42% · Age and cask: Unaged
Based on an old Bols recipe, it blends malt wine, the rich grain spirit at the heart of Dutch genever, with juniper and botanical distillates. Fuller and maltier than London dry gin.
Serve: Neat and cold, or in a Holland-style cocktail
Nolet's Silver Dry Gin
Floral and fruity: rose, peach, raspberry and light juniper.
Strength: 47.6% · Age and cask: Unaged
Made in Schiedam by the Nolet family, distillers since 1691 and also makers of Ketel One vodka. A modern, fruity gin rather than a traditional Dutch genever.
Serve: With tonic and a raspberry or strawberry, on lots of ice
Ketel One Vodka
Clean and crisp with a hint of citrus, a soft, slightly silky feel and a peppery finish.
Strength: 40% · Age and cask: Unaged
Made from wheat by the Nolet family, who have run their distillery in Schiedam since 1691. Part of the spirit is redistilled in copper pot stills, including the old coal-fired still known as Distilleerketel #1 that gives the brand its name.
Serve: Ice-cold in a Martini, or with soda and a twist
Bols Barrel Aged Genever
Malty and rich: toasted grain, juniper, cloves, vanilla and soft oak.
Strength: 42% (40% in some markets) · Age and cask: 18 months, French Limousin oak
Genever is built on malt wine, a pot-distilled spirit from rye, wheat and corn, which gives it a bready, whisky-like body. This version follows an old Bols recipe and is aged in oak before bottling.
Serve: Neat and chilled, or in an Improved Holland Gin Cocktail
Nolet's The Reserve Dry Gin
Saffron and lemon verbena lead, with juniper, warm spice and a silky texture.
Strength: 52.3% · Age and cask: Unaged
Made in tiny batches by the Nolet family, distillers in Schiedam since 1691. The small-batch recipe is led by saffron and verbena, and it is one of the most luxurious gins made.
Serve: Neat, chilled, in a small glass
More gin & juniper regions
Explore all spirits in the interactive guide
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