Best Jenever

A traditional alcoholic drink, Jenever is a spirit whose popularity is increasing and attracting a growing number of consumers worldwide. Consequently, there are a large number of brand names and bottles of Jenever appearing on the wine list of starred gastronomic restaurants. Chefs, sommeliers, and barmen in starred gastronomic restaurants share their selection of the greatest Jenevers on Bestwine • Online.

Best Jenevers

With Bestwine • Online, the best reference list of jenevers:

• Find one of the best jenevers.
• Offer an exceptional bottle of jenevers.
• Enrich your bar or wine cellar with a prestigious jenevers.
• Discover the starred gastronomic restaurants where drink the best jenevers.
• Benefit from gastronomic professionnal’s advices to select your jenever brand or bottle.

Best Jenever’s brands

Refer to Chief’s, Sommelier’s, Bartender’s from gastronomic restaurants of all around the world‘s opinion to discover the best Jenever’s brands and best references. A ranking and comparative of the best Jenever’s brands by the Chief’s, Sommelier’s and Bartender’s from the top gastronomic experts.

Jenever Brand	Origin	Alcohol Degree
Genièvre Bols Oude	Holland	35°
Genièvre Bols	Holland	42°
Genièvre Ketel 1	Holland	35°
Genièvre Bobby’s	Holland	38°
Genièvre Ketel 1 Matuur	Holland	38°

Jenever

The définition of Jenever : Jenever is a spirit flavoured with juniper berries. Its origins date back to 1600.

Jenever is the ancestor of Gin, a spirit also flavoured with juniper berries.

The first written trace of Jenever tells of the work of a Dutch doctor, Franciscus de le Boë. So, Jenever came from Holland. Initially, potions made from Jenever were only for medicinal purposes. Through time, Jenever has become an alcohol appreciated for its flavour. Nowadays, Jenever has several different aromatic versions, with Jeneverrs flavoured with melon, strawberry or even lemon.

On the palate, Jenever which is a plant-based spirit, has a floral note.

Jenever production

Jenever has a European Controlled Designation of Origin. This regulation specifies that Jenever may be produced with any neutral alcohol of agricultural origin (except for certain specific designations). This neutral spirit of agricultural origin must be mixed with at least 1.5% of cereals, which must be perceptible to the palate. This is due to the fact that Jenever was originally produced with grain spirit.

Dutch gin has its own designation of origin, protected since 2008. The “appellation” “Genever”

stipulates that the product can only be produced in Holland from the highest quality ingredients.

Authentic Jenever is, therefore, a mixture of cereals which are ground to make flour and liberate the starch from the grain. This flour is then mixed with hot water in which the natural enzymes from the malted barley (mainly amylase) break down the starch into sugar. This stage lasts several hours and is called the brewing, or saccharification phase, which yields the must, a sugary juice. The must is then has yeast added to it (for example saccharomyces cerevisiae),which will allow the sugar to ferment. This alcoholic fermentation means that the sugar is transformed into alcohol by the yeast. The alcoholic liquid is then distilled twice or three times. During the last distillation the famous juniper berries are added to obtain Jenever. According to the brands of Jenever and their recipe, juniper berries can be accompanied by other aromatic plants and spices like coriander, fennel, cumin, liquorice, aniseed, orange peel, almonds, or other things.

jenever can be aged in oak barrels before being bottled to increase its flavour. Consequently, the Jenevers are classed by order of age. There are Old Jenevers of 5,10,15 or even 20 years of age. However, there are no vintage Jenevers.

Jenever can be classed into two categories:

• Grain Junever: Grain Jenever is produced only with spirit and grains, single or mixed (barley, rye, wheat, and oats).

• Classical Jenever: Classical Jenever is based on neutral alcohol of agricultural origin.

Jenever can also be designated as “Old Jenever” when it has been aged several months in oak barrels.

Consumption of Jenever

Jenever is mainly consumed in Northern Europe. Jenever berries, used to make this drink, are typical of the North Western Europe. In the past, Jenever was a working-class drink, popular with miners or fishermen. It was consumed in the morning mixed with coffee, with the idea of warming these men and giving them the courage needed to do these difficult jobs.

Jenever’s popularity is culturally present in some regions of Northern Europe where it is a local speciality. In Belgium Jenever is popular in Wallonia, notably in the towns of Hasselt and Liege. The Belgian Walloons call the Jenever“Peket”. Jenever is also popular in Holland where the town of Shiedam is well-known for its Jenever. The Dutch call Jenever “Genever” and the English call Jenever “Dutch Gin”. Jenever can also be found in Germany, Quebec, and New Brunswick where it is called “Gros Gin”.

Jenever can be traditionally drunk as a liqueur. A plant-based drink, Jenever is ideal as an accompaniment to a desert. Jenever can also be consumed as an aperitif especially the best bottles which distill very subtle flavours.

In starred gastronomic restaurants, Jenever is used by chefs who have traditional French cuisine from the North of France on their menu. Many restaurants use Jenever to add flavour to their dishes, (paté, terrines, waffles potjevleesch….) Jenever can also be used to flavour sauces and also to flame a dish.

Barmen serve Jenever neat for amateurs of this alcoholic drink, particularly the bottles which have been aged for a long time. Jenever is also one of the ingredients of cocktail recipes like “the carnival of Dunkerque” or the “Jenever tonic”. Jenever is not used as much as Gin in cocktails however, as it has a much stronger flavour.

An alcohol with a strong regional attachment, Jenever is appreciated by amateurs as well as experts in alcoholic drinks.

The Brands of Jenever

There are a lot of different brands of Jenever, which all have one thing in common; they come from one of the 39 distilleries spread over 3 countries: Belgium has 19 Jenever distilleries; Holland has 17 distilleries and France has 2 distilleries.

Amongst the famous and reputed brands of Jenever: 1836 Bols, Coppercraft, De Borgen, Distillerie de Biercée, Distillerie de Gervin, Druenne, Filliers, Houblonesse, Persyn, Petterman, Raerener, Töpfergeist, Rutte, Smeets, Sant Pol, Sylvius, and Wambrechies.

Bestwine • Online’s mission is to share the choice of chefs, sommeliers, and barmen in starred gastronomic restaurants so that you may choose your brand or bottle of jenever easily. Take advantage of the advice of professionals in good food and fine wine to choose your Jenever.

Authentic Jenever’s comparison and ranking to choose

The top of the range Jenever’s selection