Netherlands gin

Netherlands gin, also known as Hollands, geneva, or genever, is a type of gin originating from the Netherlands. It is typically a malty-flavoured, full-bodied liquor made from purified spirits, usually derived from a grain mash, and flavored primarily with juniper berries.1

The name "gin" itself is derived from the French word for juniper berry, genièvre, which was altered by the Dutch to genever and later shortened by the English. The creation of gin is often attributed to Franciscus Sylvius, a 17th-century professor at the University of Leiden in Holland, who distilled juniper berries with spirits as an inexpensive diuretic medicine.1

Netherlands gins are produced from a mash containing barley malt, which is fermented into beer. This beer is then distilled to create a spirit called malt wine, with an alcohol content of 50–55 percent. This malt wine is distilled again with juniper berries and other botanicals, resulting in a final product with approximately 35 percent alcohol content. These gins are distinct in taste and are often served unmixed or with water.1