All In

Here's a drink named after its construction. This started when I couldn't decide between a Negroni and a Boulevardier, and things escalated from there. The genever is a beautiful midpoint between gin and whiskey, and while I was at it I decided to split the modifiers as well.  The result looks overly complicated but is tasty as hell, enough to warrant its own post (which is kind of an event these days!)

2 oz Bols barrel-aged genever
1/2 oz red vermouth
1/2 oz rainwater Madiera (a medium-dry sherry might work too)
1/2 oz Cappelletti Aperitivo
1/2 oz Cynar
4 dashes orange bitters (Regan's No. 6)
1 dash maraschino liqueur (Luxardo)

Stir and strain over a large cube. A bit of lemon or orange peel would make a nice garnish here, but as you can see I skipped it (having neither readily available). A fancy glass sufficed for me.

Dutch Cognac

This started off because I wanted a Dutch Quarter, but I had blueberry syrup instead of blackberry, and I recalled from my new Death & Co book that chocolate pairs surprisingly well with the malty notes of genever. It took a little tweaking to get there but I like the result.

2 oz Bols barrel-aged genever

1/4 oz blueberry syrup

1 dash Luxardo maraschino liqueur

2 dashes Regan's No. 6 Orange Bitters

3 dashes Bitter Truth Xocolatl Bitters

Build over a large ice cube in an old-fashioned glass; stir to combine and don't even think about garnishing.

Two Dutch Sours

I'll state right away for the record that neither of these are exactly originals (and in fact, they're pretty much the exact same drink) but I don't think that should stop you from trying them.  Both are being included here precisely because they turned out very nicely.

The basic question of the hour: what happens if you use genever in drinks which typically call for dry gin?

The Flying Dutchman
1 1/2 oz genever (Bols Barrel Aged, my hands-down favorite)
1/2 oz Luxardo maraschino
1/2 oz lemon juice

The Dutch Lady
1 1/2 oz genever (same as above)
1/2 oz triple sec (another Luxardo product)
1/2 oz lemon juice

For both, shake and strain into a coupe; garnish with a strip of lemon peel.

It's pretty impressive how well these work despite the Bols being a completely different spirit than a London Dry gin.  I should admit that "Flying Dutchman" isn't even my name for the first of these; there's a local bar that serves the same beverage, done up with creme de violette for color in classic Aviation style.  Frankly, I see very little need to keep such a specialized liqueur in my home bar, and make my Aviations without.

The Doubly-Improved Cocktail

Here's a fine and very old-fashioned drink indeed, conceived while playing around with obscure liquors.

1 oz genever (Bols, preferably)
1 oz peach brandy (the classic distilled-from-peaches kind, in this case Dutch's)
1 dash maraschino liqueur (as always Luxardo)
1 dash absinthe
1 dash dry vermouth
1 dash aromatic bitters
1 dash orange bitters

Stir well and strain into a chilled cocktail glass; garnish with a lemon twist.

This reminds me of the Peach Pit, but more old-school (and a bit more potent).

Peach Pit II

This is a simple rework of the Peach Pit with a more assertive peachiness.  I liked the original, but I regard this as an improvement.

1 1/2 oz peach-infused Laird's Applejack
3/4 oz Bols genever
3/4 oz Lillet Rose (Cocchi Americano would be appropriate, but reduce to 1/2 oz)
2 dashes peach bitters
2 dashes aromatic bitters

Stir and strain into a chilled cocktail glass; garnish with a slice of dried peach.

This has a lingering peach sweetness backed up by some malty spice, but it's not quite as rich as the original.  That makes the whole cocktail much fresher, akin to biting into a sour peach rather than a sweet peach.

The Dutch Quarter

I had a taste for genever and a taste for a Sazerac at the same time, so I made this.  It became one of a couple variations, which will be chronicled next.

2 oz genever (must be an oude, and I like Bols)

1 barspoon (1/6 oz) blackberry syrup
2 dashes Peychaud's bitters
2 dashes aromatic bitters

Rinse a rocks glass with absinthe (I use an atomizer, which coats the inside of a glass with little waste) and set in the freezer.  Pour listed ingredients over ice and stir, then strain into the prepared glass.  Squeeze a lemon coin over the drink; drop in if you're feeling straightforward, discard it and add a blackberry instead if you're feeling fancy.

Genever and blackberry have a pleasant synthesis, sort of like bourbon and peaches.  Genever also responds to the Sazerac treatment very well with its nice maltiness and juniper spice.  The name here is a double homage to the origin of the Sazerac (New Orleans) and the origin of genever.  This recipe would not unduly suffer from substituting 1/2 oz of the genever for cognac, just to smooth things out a little bit.  I might try adding black pepper somehow, either in the syrup or by infusing a small amount of absinthe.

Peach Pit

This one turned out very well.

1 1/4 oz peach-infused Laird's Applejack
1 oz Bols genever
1/2 oz orange curacao
2 dashes Peychaud's Bitters
2 dashes aromatic bitters


Stir and strain into a chilled cocktail glass.

I really dig how this has a sustained peach presence (applejack helps) without being cloyingly sweet, and how it carries a nice malty bite afterward.  Very old-school, and a very fine cocktail (if I do say so myself).

The Redbreast

Riff number two on the same basic theme.  Essentially the same formulation with some substitutions.

1 1/2 oz genever
1 oz dry vermouth
1/2 oz strawberry-thyme syrup
1/2 oz lemon juice
3 dashes rhubarb bitters
3 dashes cardamom tincture

Shake and strain into a cocktail glass; garnish with a half strawberry, either frozen or on a cocktail pick.

The Pink Panther

I always loved the old Pink Panther cartoons.  Somehow this drink's color and insinuating, troublemaking punch reminded me of the namesake.

(per 2 drinks)

4 oz genever (grey-bottle Bols)

1 oz maraschino liqueur (Luxardo, obviously)

1 1/2 oz blackberry syrup (homemade)

Juice of 1 lemon

White of 1 egg

Shake all of the above vigorously over large cold ice cubes, strain into chilled fizz glasses and top up with 2-3 oz of soda water each.  Garnish with a lemon twist, if you like.

Rather Nuts

Here's a drink that didn't seem like it should work, but very much did.

1 1/2 oz genever (I use the "grey-bottle Bols")
1/2 oz blanc or bianco vermouth
1/2 oz marsala wine (or medium-dry sherry/madiera)
Dash of simple syrup (to taste; adjust per your wine of choice)
3 dashes Fee's Black Walnut Bitters

Stir well and strain into a chilled cocktail glass; add a couple hazelnuts, an orange peel, or both if you'd like.

The closest comparison I can make for this is a good Martinez, with a little nutty, Manhattan-ish quality from the genever (assuming you use an oude style).  The Black Walnut Bitters is a little tough to find, but brings a very round, spicy, bitter-nutty flavor to the mix.