Let’s
just get this out of the way. I do not like gin. Gin was my dad’s drink. He was
big into Tanqueray, Boodles, and possibly a few others. His cocktail of choice
was a Gibson martini with very little vermouth. I’ve tasted it several times
throughout my life. I have no idea how he could drink the stuff.
Why
am I talking about gin when I’m supposed to discuss Genever? Because they’re
cousins. Genever has been around for centuries; it was the precursor of gin. There
are similarities and differences. Let’s hit the similarities first: They’re
both made with botanicals, and juniper berries is an ingredient. Both can
optionally be aged in oak.
Here's
where they diverge. First and foremost, Genever is made from distilled malted
grain (either barley, corn, or rye) and blended with grain-neutral spirits. In
contrast, gin starts as a grain-neutral spirit distilled from a choice of raw
grains. Genever must be made in The Netherlands, Belgium, and certain parts of Germany and
France. Gin can come from anywhere.
There
are three styles of Genever:
- Oude (or old) – This is the traditional way of
making Genever (hence “old”). It has a minimum of 15% and no more than 50% malt
wine. The remaining portion is made with neutral-grain spirits.
- Jonge (or young) -
This has a maximum of 15% malt wine; the remainder is grain-neutral
spirits or sugar-based alcohol. It tends to have a softer palate that appeals
to vodka drinkers. The “young,” in this case, refers to a newer generation.
- Korenwijn – This contains between 51% and 75% malt wine and
can be challenging to find.
Cycling
back to gin… the way this Genever thing became a Whiskeyfellow thing is that I
casually mentioned for the umpteenth time on social media that I hate gin. Plenty
of folks suggested I’ve just not tried the right gin. I explained I
wasn’t interested in finding the right one. Well, Dave Schmier of Proof and Wood Ventures chimed in, and the next thing I knew, despite my not asking for samples, three bottles
of Genever showed up on my doorstep. For the record, Proof and Wood is the US
importer of de Borgen Distillery.
I’ve
not had Genever (or at least I don’t believe I have), so today will be a true
#DrinkCurious adventure. We’re going to explore all three types. De Borgen
comes from The Netherlands. Up for tasting are Old-Style Genever,
New-Style Genever, and Malt
Genever, which is cask-aged.
No
matter how this journey turns out, I thank Dave Schmier for providing me with
these samples in exchange for my no-strings-attached, honest reviews. As I'm totally inexperienced in knowing what makes a Genever “good” or “bad," I'll judge based on whether I
can finish or dump the glass. As such, my ratings will be “Bottle” or “Bust.” Finally,
I’m going to sip each of these from Glencairn glasses because, well, that’s how
I taste everything.
Let’s
do this!
Old-Style
Genever
Made
with 17-year-old malt spirit (unlike age statements on whiskies, this statement
refers to the oldest component, not the youngest), Old-Style is naturally
flavored, has added caramel coloring, and is packaged at 40% ABV (80°). It
carries a suggested price of $45.00 for a 750ml bottle.
Appearance: This
spirit was the color of pale straw. A thin rim built itself into something much
weightier, and then thick, wavy tears dropped.
Nose: The
aroma was sweet and floral… and then I smelled fennel. That took some effort to
get past; I was able to find what I could swear was milk chocolate and nutmeg.
Inhaling through my lips brought more fennel.
Palate: I found
the texture silky, and the liquid was warmer than I’d guess at 80°. The first
thing I tasted was mild juniper. Let’s call that the “front” here. Mid-palate
flavors included orange peel and rye spice, while the back featured oak, white
pepper, and vanilla.
Finish: I hate
to use the term “smooth” in reviews, but the best way to describe the finish is
exactly that. It had a medium-long duration and held the tastes of oak,
vanilla, orange peel, and (yes) juniper in my mouth and throat.
Bottle, Bar, or Bust: The
biggest issue I have with gin is that (and I told Dave this) it seems like I’m brushing
my teeth with a pine tree branch. While I am somewhat hypersensitive to
juniper, I must admit that it wasn’t overwhelming with this Genever once I got
past the first sip. I still couldn’t identify anything beyond it on the front,
but I acclimated enough to pull the other flavors.
I’ll also freely admit that
fennel, anise, and black licorice are notes that I don’t care for. So when I
smelled the fennel (which is the lightest of the three), I was concerned. It,
too, didn’t dominate the sipping experience once I could put it out of my mind.
Between Old-Style Genever
and every single gin I’ve ever tasted, I’d take the Genever without a second
thought. While I’m gin- and Genever-stupid, the simple fact that Old-Style was easy
to sip means it deserves my Bottle rating.
◊◊◊◊◊
New-Style Genever
New-Style Genever is based
on 19th-century distilling techniques. It is packaged at 40.8% ABV
(81.6°), and a 750ml package has a suggested price of $35.00.
Appearance: This
Genever looked crystal clear and gave me the idea it was unaged. It formed a
bold rim and a wavy curtain that crashed back into the pool.
Nose: The
second the Genever flowed from the bottle to my glass, I was slapped with the
aroma of evergreens. As such, I left it alone to breathe for about ten minutes.
When I returned, it didn’t get any less junipery. Try as I might, I couldn’t discern
any other notes because of how aggressive the juniper was.
Palate: The
texture was thin, but what I tasted was unexpected. I was apprehensive about
sipping it. There was a strong presence of lemon peel. That was followed by
anise and other herbs I had difficulty identifying. I could not perform the
usual zoning of my palate.
Finish: Medium
in duration; as the anise gave way, it left behind juniper and a hint of lemon
peel.
Bottle, Bar, or Bust: I will
be blunt (I’m sorry, Dave). New-Style Genever possesses all of the things I
dislike about gin. I couldn’t finish what was in my glass. As such, it is a Bust.
◊◊◊◊◊
Malt Genever
De Borgen Malt Genever represents
the Korenwijn category. Its distillation process harkens to the 16th
century, and the spirit is then aged in Oloroso sherry casks. A one-liter, 40%
ABV (80°) package runs about $45.00.
Appearance: This
malt-heavy Genever looked like it could pass for whisky. It was a dark, golden
color. The medium rim formed slow, sticky tears.
Nose: It
looked like whisky, and my initial sniff made me think it was whisky-like. I
smelled the malt. There was also caramel, oak, and even a whiff of cinnamon. Drawing
the air through my lips enhanced the maltiness.
Palate: The
mouthfeel was creamy. The front of my palate encountered English toffee and
vanilla. The middle included cinnamon and oak, while the back tasted like nutmeg
and lemon citrus.
Finish: Medium
in duration, the finish honed in on toffee, lemon, oak, and nutmeg. It added a
kiss of agave for good measure.
Bottle, Bar, or Bust: There
was absolutely nothing in common between the Korenwijn and Jonge options. If
you shoved this glass before me and said, “What’s this?” I’d guess it was an
under-proofed Lowland Scotch. Sure, it had some muted herbal quality, but not
enough to take away from the rest of the experience. I’ll go as far as to say
that I (gasp) enjoyed it. I’ll happily give Malt Genever my Bottle
rating!
◊◊◊◊◊
Final Thoughts: I’ll get
this out of the way: Jonge Genever is not my thing. If you love traditional
gin, you’ll probably enjoy it.
Let’s discuss the others. I
found them both palatable. I don’t know that I’d go out of my way to ask for an
Oude if I saw it at a bar, but I could see myself considering the Korenwijn. While
I was not looking forward to this experience, I must say that I’ve walked away with
respect for Genever. I still hate gin, though. Cheers!
My Simple, Easy-to-Understand
Rating System
- Bottle = Buy It
- Bar = Try It
- Bust = Leave It
Whiskeyfellow encourages
you to enjoy your whiskey as you see fit but begs you to do so responsibly.
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