Bols Genever: The Original Dutch Spirit That Started It All
Genever 42% ABV ABV Lucas Bols / Bols Distillery
6 March 2026
Complex and deeply satisfying
The anise depth with ginger warmth creates a wonderfully layered palate. The hops add a subtle bitterness that balances the malt sweetness perfectly. A Genever of real quality and character.
19 January 2026
An absolute treasure
This Genever is magnificent. The full, malty palate with grain sweetness meeting assertive juniper and anise depth is unlike anything else in the gin world. The long finish with clove spice and dry ginger-hop close is perfection. Every gin lover needs to try this at least once.
12 January 2026
A history lesson in a glass
Bols Genever is what gin used to be. The full, malty palate with grain sweetness and assertive juniper is completely different from modern London Dry styles. The ginger warmth and liquorice richness are gorgeous.
29 December 2025
Not quite gin as I know it
The malt wine richness is fascinating but it does push this far from what most people expect from gin. The anise and clove are warming, and the hops add an unusual dimension, but at 42% ABV it feels more like a light whisky to me. Interesting rather than essential.
25 December 2025
Old school brilliance
If you want to understand where gin came from, start here. The malt wine richness, the clove spice, the assertive juniper — it's all beautifully balanced. The dry ginger-hop close is lovely.
2 December 2025
Genever at its finest
Bols have been doing this since the 1600s and it shows. Every botanical earns its place — juniper, anise, hops, clove, ginger. The long, warming finish with malt persistence is superb. A masterclass in traditional spirit-making.
20 November 2025
Wonderful sipping spirit
This isn't a G&T gin — it's a sipper. The baked bread on the nose, the clove warmth, the long finish with malt persistence. At 42% it's beautifully weighted for neat drinking.