Bobby’s Schiedam Jenever

Schiedam has been the capital of Dutch genever for centuries, and Bobby's plays to that history with a twist of its own. The recipe pairs a base of mellow malt wine with eight botanicals, several of them carried over from Indonesia, where the founder's grandfather first blended juniper spirit with the spices of home. Cloves, cubeb pepper and lemongrass do the talking, sitting on a malty, almost bready foundation that marks it out clearly from a dry London gin.

The nose is spicy and fresh, juniper edged with citrus and a herbal lift. On the palate it turns soft and rounded, malt wine giving body while lemongrass, pepper and clove build a warm, layered spiciness. The finish is long and gently warming, more digestif than aperitif. Pour it over a single large cube with tonic and a bruised lemongrass stalk, or reach for it when a Martinez needs more weight.