There are bottles that belong on a back bar, and there are bottles that belong in a cabinet of curiosities. The Bols Silver Top Dry Gin, bottled in the 1960s, falls firmly into the latter category — a liquid time capsule from one of the oldest distilling houses in the world. Bols has been producing spirits since 1575, and this particular expression represents a fascinating snapshot of how London Dry gin was interpreted by Dutch hands during the mid-twentieth century.
A London Dry from the Golden Age
At 45% ABV, this sits comfortably above the minimum threshold for London Dry and carries the kind of robust strength that was standard before the modern trend toward lighter, more approachable expressions. The Silver Top designation was Bols' flagship dry gin for export markets, and bottles from this era are increasingly sought after by collectors and historians of the category alike.
What makes this bottling particularly compelling is its place in the broader narrative of gin. Bols, a Dutch house with roots in genever production, applying the London Dry method speaks to the cross-pollination between the Netherlands and England that has defined gin's evolution for centuries. One would expect a juniper-forward profile built on a clean, grain-neutral base — the hallmark of the style — though the precise botanical bill for this era of production remains unconfirmed.
At £175, this is not a gin you mix carelessly. It is a piece of distilling heritage, and I would score it 8.1 out of 10 on that basis — a genuinely collectible bottle that rewards the curious drinker. Best served in a measured pour, neat or in a dry Martini where its character can speak without interference.
