I know this is a quite obscure topic on a sub-board very few people read. Yet still, in case somebody might be interested in jenevers / genevers, I thought my notes on this tasting might be of some interest to some people, so here goes.
To those who don’t know, genever / jenever is basically proto-gin, ie. a spirit flavored with junipers (mandatory) and other botanicals (optionals) - historically juniper was used to mask away the flavor defects in rustic distillates of inferior quality. However, in contrast to many modern gins, that are often intensely juniper-y, genevers often have relatively little emphasis on juniper flavors - some might have so little juniper influence that you really don’t even taste it.
Additionally, many genevers often have a little bit of residual sugar. Not enough to make them liqueur, but typically a bit more (5-20 g/l) compared to most modern spirits that are more or less dry or bone-dry (0-5 g/l).
Before this tasting I have had only a few very basic genevers, so this was definitely an eye-opening tasting on what the spirit could be. We started with the more commonplace jonge jenevers (“young genevers”) where the “young” part doesn’t refer to the age of the spirit, but the style of the distillation; jonge jenevers are often based on grain on other quite neutral raw material and distilled with modern equipment, resulting in spirits stylistically closer to a vodka or a London dry gin. Then we moved on to oude jenevers (“old genevers”), where the “old” part refers to - you guessed it - refers, again, not to the age of the spirit, but the style of distillation. In oude jenever style the base is more malt-heavy and they are distilled in traditional pot stills, so the result is noticeably less neutral and more characterful. Many - but not all - oude jenevers are aged in oak barrels, which further help mask away the juniper flavors, so these styles often speak to the fans of oak-aged brown spirits. Curiously, many genever producers seemed to favor old Bourbon casks, which made many barrel-aged genevers feel surprisingly Bourbon-like in character!
- NV La Martiniquaise Hertekamp Jenever - Belgium, Flanders (12.4.2024)
35% alcohol.
Completely colorless, water-clear appearance. The nose feels fresh with very gin-like aromas of juniper, some green herby tones and a little bit of spirituous alcohol. The genever feels round, mild and mellow on the palate with a slightly sweet overall taste and flavors of juniper, some pine resin tones, a little bit of herby bitterness, light grainy tones and a hint of white peach. The finish is juicy, somewhat warm and slightly sweet with a round, medium-long aftertaste of white peach, some juniper tones and a hint of herby greenness.
A nice, pleasant and mellow crowdpleaser. Nothing particularly characterful or memorable, but nothing to complain, either. This is just a round, vaguely gin-like genever that drinks quite nicely on its own, thanks to its somewhat modest level of alcohol and subtle sweetness.
(86 points) - NV Bols Jonge Graangenever - Netherlands, Noord-Holland, Amsterdam (12.4.2024)
A blend of grain and malt spirits flavored with juniper. 35% alcohol.
Completely colorless and transparent appearance. The nose feels quite subtle with light aromas of juniper, some herby nuances and a hint of grassy greenness. The genever feels mellow and richly-textured on the palate with a mild taste of vague citrus rind tones, a little bit of sweet white fruit, light juniper nuances, a hint of something resinous and a touch of grassy greenness. The finish is mild and slightly sweet with a light, medium-long aftertaste of juniper and grassy greenness.
A rather bland and uninspiring genever that feels more like a watered-down vodka with subtle juniper overtones. Drinkable but pretty meh.
(83 points) - NV Herman Jansen Biologisch Notaris Jonge Graanjenever - Netherlands, Schiedam (12.4.2024)
Made with spirits distilled from organically farmed grain. 35% alcohol.
Completely clear and colorless appearance. The nose feels sweetish with some honeyed tones, a little bit of something funky and very subtle juniper undertones. The genever feels quite mellow and slightly boozy but also rather characterful on the palate with flavors of honeyed richness and white peach, some grainy tones, a little bit of something funky - reminding me of Okinawan awamori - and a hint of juniper. The alcohol lends some heat to the palate. The finish is long, characterful and somewhat warm with an aftertaste of gin-like juniper, some funky notes reminiscent of awamori, a little bit of white peach, light honeyed nuances and a hint of grainy character.
A sophisticated and characterful genever with nice, subtly funky nuances that add a welcome layer of complexity to the otherwise somewhat linear and neutral flavor profile of a jonge jenever. A fun and enjoyable effort for the style.
(90 points) - NV Herman Jansen Notaris Schiedamsche Moutwijnjenever - Netherlands, Schiedam (12.4.2024)
A "moutwijnjenever" aka. genever distilled from moutwijn, aka. beer made only from malted barley, not unmalted grain. All malts used here are farmed organically. 35% alcohol.
Completely colorless, crystal-clear appearance. The nose feels surprisingly robust - the lack of the more neutral unmalted grain component is noticeable - with somewhat green-toned aromas of malty grains, some grassy and herby tones, a little bit of soot, light vegetal matcha nuances, a hint of stone dust and a grappa-like touch of fusel alcohols. The genever feels silky smooth and somewhat neutral yet still characterful and a bit robust on the palate with grainy malt notes, some funky fusel notes reminiscent of awamori or grappa, a little bit of stone dust, light juicy notes of white fruits and a hint of alcohol warmth. The finish is somewhat mild and slightly warm with a moderately long aftertaste of grainy malt character, some grappa-like notes of fusel alcohol, a little bit of stony minerality and a hint of green herby character.
Most jonge jenevers are often quite simple, neutral and linear, at least to my taste, but this genever made with a malt base seems to add a nice, somewhat less neutral and more grainy character to the overall flavor profile. However, what was interesting was that genevers are supposed to be flavored with junipers - and there was no obvious juniper taste here whatsoever. Maybe those faint green vegetal notes came from junipers? Whatever the case, this was a somewhat mellow yet still a bit robust genever with no noticeable juniper character. I liked it.
(91 points) - NV Wagging Finger Oude Genever Excercise v2.0 - Netherlands, Overijssel, Twente (12.4.2024)
A small-batch craft genever based on moutwijn ("malt wine") composed of malted barley (50%) and malted rye (50%) and which has been aged for 2 months in an old Fino Sherry cask. The malt wine component was blended with distilled grain spirits flavored with juniper, angelica root, beetroot, caraway, coriander, dill, Sarawak pepper and other spices. 38% alcohol. Bottle #108 of total 243 bottles.
Clear, almost colorless to slightly grayish appearance. The nose feels EXACTLY like a gin with a strong hit of juniper and pine resin along with some grassy green notes, a little bit of pine needles and a hint of fragrant spices. Basically all the finer nuances get overwhelmed by the juniper notes. The genever feels intense, somewhat medicinal and quite sharp on the palate with a rather full body and intense flavors of juniper and grassy herbal notes, some alcohol heat, light waxy tones, a hint of medicinal bitterness and a touch of pine resin. The finish is long, green and robust with an intense aftertaste of juniper, some vegetal grassy tones and a little bit of herbal spice.
This is a very intense and robust genever, but to be frank, in a tasting of 13 genevers, this tasted more like gin than genever - all the other genevers seemed more mellow and subtle with very understated juniper nuances, whereas this was all about very intense juniper notes. On paper, this seemed very interesting with its oak-aged malt base component and lots of different spices, but honestly, in the nose and on the palate, this was virtually identical to a London Gin. Very atypical effort for a genever. Perhaps it works nicely as a stand-in for a gin in a cocktail, but on its own, I wasn't really a fan.
(82 points) - NV Zuidam Single Barrel Zeer Oude Genever 3 yo - Netherlands, Noord-Brabant (12.4.2024)
A single-barrel genever that was distilled on 20th of May, 2008. Aged in barrel #472 for more than three years (from May 20th, 2008 until September 5th, 2011. Bottle #83. 38% alcohol.
Luminous golden yellow color. The nose feels like a Bourbon oak bomb with aromas of caramel, some coconut, a little bit of cedar and a hint of vanilla. No juniper or any other traditional genever aromas whatsoever. The genever feels quite heavy, somewhat sweet-toned and a bit hot on the palate with rich and punchy flavors of vanilla and coconut, some caramel tones, a little bit of toffee, light honeyed nuances, a hint of cedar and a touch of dried pineapple. The mouthfeel is a bit viscous, too. The aftertaste is rich, warm and lengthy with a bold, oak-driven aftertaste of caramel and vanilla, some coconut, a little bit of dried pineapple, light toffee nuances, a hint of cedary oak and a touch of acacia honey.
A huge and rather overdone monster of a distillate that might technically be a Genever, but it drinks like a Bourbon. It's hard to assess, as we tasted the spirit in a genever tasting, but I think it's entirely possible to not notice anything if this spirit was tasted blind in a bourbon tasting. This is all about huge, punchy oak and nothing else. For such a distillate, this is actually quite good and even somewhat enjoyable - even if I'm not the biggest fan of the overall style. Fun stuff if you happen to like oak bombs.
(87 points) - NV Bols Corenwyn 2 Jaar Vatgerijpt - Netherlands (12.4.2024)
A korenwijn, ie. not technically a genever, since the style might not include any juniper - a required flavoring in genevers - at all. However, as Bols advertises this spirit as a genever, I imagine it contains some juniper. The base contains at least 51% of malt wine, ie. distilled malt spirit, blended together with some grain spirit. Aged for at least two years in an oak barrel. Bottle #205020. 38% alcohol.
Pale lemony yellow color. The nose feels very sweet and very noticeably fruity with pronounced aromas of grapey fruit, some greengage, light leafy herbal notes, a little bit of pear, a hint of juniper and a spirituous touch of alcohol. The genever feels rich, round and mellow with very somewhat sweet-toned, fruit-driven flavors of ripe grapey fruit, some pear, a little bit of grassy bitterness, light juniper nuances, a leafy hint of herbal greenness and a hint of floral character. The finish is long, fruity and a bit warm with rich flavors of sweet, grapey fruit, some pear, a little bit of grassy bitterness, light peppery nuances and a faint hint of juniper.
This was something of an odd bird. We were expecting something like an aged genever, but instead of tasting particularly evolved, this tasted just REALLY fruity. Although the spirit shows a bit more depth and complexity than a neutral jonge genever, the style felt still a bit raw and unintegrated. And a bit too in-your-face with its heady, exuberant fruity qualities. Enjoyable, but I prefer something more fine-tuned.
(89 points) - NV Filliers Oude Graanjenever 5 Jaar Oud - Belgium, Flanders, Deinze (12.4.2024)
A blend of more robust malt spirit and more neutral grain alcohol that is flavored with juniper and other botanicals. Aged for five years in oak barrels. 38% alcohol.
Pale golden yellow color. The nose feels surprisingly subtle with nuanced, slightly sweet-toned aromas of juicy yellow fruits, a little bit of ripe peach, light beeswax tones, a hint of woody spice, a touch of freshly pressed apple juice and a faint floral whiff of botanical spices. The genever feels silky smooth, round and subtly sweet on the palate with nuanced flavors of white peach, some apple jam, light woody notes, a little bit of beeswax and a hint of grapey fruit. The finish is mellow, subtle and slightly warm with a rather long aftertaste of white peach, some apple jam, light floral notes of botanicals, a little bit of beeswax, a hint of savory wood spice and a touch of grapey fruit.
A mellow, accessible and enjoyably nuanced oak-aged genever that feels maybe a bit easy and something of a crowdpleaser, but also very pleasant and sophisticated at the same time. The balance between the subtle sweetness, the faint botanicals, the light woody overtones and the surprisingly fruit-driven overall taste is right on point. If one is expecting a more juniper-driven London Dry Gin kind of genever from this, they might be in for a disappointment, but I found this a pretty tasty effort. Recommended.
(92 points) - NV Bols Corenwyn 6 Jaar Gerijpte Genever - Netherlands (12.4.2024)
A korenwijn, ie. not technically a genever, since the style might not include any juniper - a required flavoring in genevers - at all. However, as Bols advertises this spirit as a genever, I imagine it contains some juniper. The base contains at least 51% of malt wine, ie. distilled malt spirit, blended together with some grain spirit. Aged for at least six years in both Limousine oak and American oak barrels. Bottle #188146. 40% alcohol.
Clear, pale bronze color. The nose feels sweet, fragrant and somewhat woody with aromas of cool green-toned botanicals, some cough drops, a little bit of peachy stone fruit, light peppery tones, oaky hints of caramel and Cognac, a touch of Sichuan pepper and a perfumed whiff of fragrant florals. The genever feels moderately sweet and slightly viscous on the palate with a rather full body and layered flavors of ripe peachy stone fruit and honeyed richness, some woody tones, a little bit of peppery spice, light cooling green-toned botanicals like peppermint and Sichuan pepper, oaky hints of vanilla, butterscotch and Cognac and a touch of grainy malt character. The finish is spicy, woody and slightly sweet with a long, complex aftertaste of vanilla and woody oak, some honeyed tones, a little bit of apricot, light grainy notes of malt, green-toned botanical hints of peppermint and Sichuan pepper and a touch of caramel.
A nice, characterful and complex barrel-aged genever that combines vaguely gin-like botanicals with Bourbon-like vanilla and caramel tones with more spicy and woody nuances reminiscent of Cognac or whisky. There's a little bit of sugary sweetness, but that doesn't really make the spirit feel any liqueuer-ish, but instead only accentuates those sweeter honeyed and caramelly nuances of oak. A tasty little drop that is somewhere between a gin and a whisky - without really being either.
(91 points) - NV Bols Corenwyn 10 Jaar Gerijpte Genever - Netherlands (12.4.2024)
A korenwijn, ie. not technically a genever, since the style might not include any juniper - a required flavoring in genevers - at all. However, as Bols advertises this spirit as a genever, I imagine it contains some juniper. The base contains at least 51% of malt wine, ie. distilled malt spirit, blended together with some grain spirit. Aged for at least ten years in Limousin oak barrels. Bottle #43717. 38% alcohol.
Medium-deep bronze color. The nose feels fascinating with complex aromas of woody oak spice reminiscent of Armagnac, some green coniferous notes of juniper, a little bit of honeycomb, light dusty and vaguely cedary wood tones, a hint of ripe nectarine, a touch of apple jam and a faint whiff of sweeter spices. The genever feels somewhat sweet yet also firm on the palate with a medium body and intense, quite savory flavors of wood spice and cedar, some caramel, light dried-fruit nuances, a little bit of ripe nectarine, fragrant hints of dried flowers and a touch of sweet Christmas spices. The finish is dry, spicy and slightly warm with a long, complex aftertaste of caramel and savory wood spice, some vanilla, light sweeter notes of dried pineapple and other dried fruits, a little bit of herbal bitterness, a hint of juicy nectarine and a faint green touch of juniper.
A fascinating, complex spirit that feels quite Armagnac-like with its spicy, woody and dusty overall character - yet there is that juniper-y undertone that keeps this firmly grounded as a genever. A very tasty and captivating distillate that might speak really well to the fans of Armagnac, Cognac and Highland Whisky. At least I enjoyed this quite a lot.
(93 points) - NV Filliers 8 Years Old Barrel-Aged Genever - Belgium, Flanders, Deinze (12.4.2024)
A genever aged for 8 years in American oak barrels. 40% alcohol.
Pale golden yellow color. The nose feels rich and quite hedonistic with sweet aromas of vanilla, some ripe apricot, light caramel tones, a little bit of toasted oak spice, a hint of perfumed floral character and a cedary touch of savory wood. The genever feels broad, rich and silky on the palate with a rather full body and somewhat sweet-toned, Bourbon-like flavors of honeyed sweetness, some wizened apricots, light oaky notes of vanilla, caramel and coconut, a little bit of toasty oak spice, a hint of baking spices and a faint green-toned touch of herbal character, maybe juniper? The finish is rich, long and slightly hot with a complex, slightly sweet aftertaste of caramel and baking spices, some floral tones, a little bit of coconut, light vanilla nuances, a hint of honey and a touch of juniper.
A rich and characterful genever that feels more like a Bourbon, thanks to its quite pronounced American oak character. There's also a little bit of sugary sweetness, but that goes surprisingly well with the rich oak tones, contributing mainly to the rich texture of the spirit. Compared to the 5-yo version, I think this spirit might show a bit more depth and complexity, but I think qualitatively these two are more or less at the same level - just two quite different expressions of the style.
(92 points) - NV Filliers 17 Years Old Barrel-Aged Genever - Belgium, Flanders, Deinze (12.4.2024)
A genever aged for 17 years in American oak barrels. 44% alcohol.
Medium-deep honey-yellow color. The nose feels evolved, complex and wonderfully fine-tuned with layered aromas of butterscotch, some dusty wood, a little bit of ripe yellow fruit, light honeyed nuances, a hint of exotic spices and a touch of caramel. The genever feels quite dry, spicy and somewhat woody on the palate with a medium body and rather pronounced flavors of dusty old wood, some sweet yellow-toned fruit notes, a little bit of peppery spice, light grainy malt nuances, sweeter hints of butterscotch and honey and a toasty touch of caramel oak. The high alcohol lends some heat to the palate. The finish is long, complex and hot with a layered aftertaste of grainy malt and woody notes of savory oak spice, some peppery tones, a little bit of sweet yellow fruit, light honeyed nuances and oaky hints of toffee and vanilla.
A terrific and surprisingly whisky-like genever where the actual genever qualities have been more or less overwhelmed by the oak aging. Not that I mind - I like whiskies and this drinks more like a whisky than a genever (or a Bourbon, which seems to be the kind of style in which oak-aged genevers are often made)! Furthermore, even if there is a little bit of sweetness, I think the overall flavor profile is drier and less saccharine as seems to be typical for many genevers. While I think that genevers carry their sweetness surprisingly well, this more spicy-and-savory (rather than rich and sweet) kind of style speaks to me a bit more. Good stuff. Recommended.
(93 points) - NV Filliers 21 Years Old Barrel-Aged Genever - Belgium, Flanders, Deinze (12.4.2024)
A genever aged for 21 years in American oak barrels. 46% alcohol.
Quite deep bronze or pale coppery color. The nose feels rich, complex and somewhat sweet-toned with nuanced aromas of caramel, some toasty oak spice, light nutty tones, a little bit of wizened yellow fruit, a hint of beeswax and an aged touch of something smoky or tarry. The genever feels dry, robust and somewhat woody on the palate with a rather full body and complex, concentrated flavors of nutty wood, some oaky notes of caramel and vanilla, a little bit of dried yellow fruit, light smoky nuances, a hint of dried flowers and a touch of grainy malt. The high alcohol lends a little bit of heat to the palate. The finish is dry, woody and complex with a long, intense aftertaste of dried fruits and grainy malt, some smoky tones, a little bit of honeyed richness, light toasty oak nuances, a hint of browned butter and a touch of nuttiness.
An impressively complex and quite whisky-like genever with lots of depth, richness and intensity. The overall feel doesn't show any juniper notes, making the genever feel more like a typical brown / aged spirit, not a classic genever. There's a lot to like here. Probably the most impressive genever I've tasted. Excellent.
(95 points)
Posted from CellarTracker