Two new ultra-premium gins from Holland have landed on these shores and are shaking up the gin world. Zuidam Dry Gin and Zuidam Genever Gin to the silky, complex taste and elegant packaging of the newest entries in the gin game.

Zuidam (pronounced Zoo-dam) Dry Gin and Zuidam Genever Gin are crafted by a father and son distilling team. This artisanal producer is located just 90 minutes from bustling Amsterdam. Fred van Zuidam, formerly the master distiller at DeKuyper and his 33 year old son, Patrick use traditional methods and the finest natural ingredients to create a clean, fresh, delicious gin of unparalleled quality.

DISTINCTIVELY DIFFERENT DISTILLATION METHOD

Zuidam Dry Gin (suggested retail price $30/750 ml; $35/1L) contains nine botanicals: Juniper berries and iris root from Italy, coriander from Morocco, angelica root, fresh sweet oranges and lemons from Spain, real whole bean vanilla from Madagascar, licorice root from India, cardamom pods from Ceylon. Unlike other gins, which add all the botanicals simultaneously, Zuidam distills each ingredient or botanical separately and then marries the nine different distillates together according to their secret recipe. “Flavors peak at different temperatures and if you throw everything together in the still, you end up with a dominance of juniper and a gin that is out of balance,” Patrick van Zuidam tells HappyHours.com. “By distilling separately, we get the purest flavors from all our ingredients. We are the only gin that I am aware of that uses vanilla—and we use only pure vanilla beans—not extracts. It is by far our most expensive ingredient. The vanilla knits the flavors together it makes a smoother gin that is more ‘one’”.

After the individual distillations, the final blend is created having undergone a total of 14 distillations (5 for the base spirit and 9 individual distillations for each botanical. The gin is then aged 3 months before bottling. The nose is clean with fresh citrus and earthy juniper notes and a beguiling hint of spice and vanilla. Its layered flavors make it a perfect martini gin, yet the balance of flavors allows it to mix admirably with the fresh fruit flavors favored by today’s cutting edge bar chefs.

“For the Zuidam Genever Gin, we start with a whiskey-like base, and add the botanicals in one distillation,” explains Patrick van Zuidam. “For our Genever we use juniper, licorice root, vanilla, aniseed and marjoram. Zuidam Genever is more refined than most Genevers. It is elegant and provides a very different gin taste that is decidedly sweeter, yet still refreshing, with a malty undertone. Unlike some Genevers, Zuidam Genever Gin is crystal clear.”

Both Zuidam Gins come in sleek, sophisticated bottles that add prestige to any back bar. The heavy glass bottle, modern graphics and splash of color are contemporary and inviting.

PRESIDENTIAL COCKTAIL SERVICE

Martin Adamczyk, of Cocktail Concierge, has created the Zuidam Hi Tea special cocktail, that he personally served this weekend at the White House Press Correspondence Association dinner party.

Zuidam Hi Tea
(Highball)
2 oz Zuidam Dry Gin
3 oz Hibiscus Tea
1/4-1/2 oz Syrup
1 Lemon Wedge

Combine first 3 ingredients in a shaker filled with ice. Squeeze and drop in the lemon wedge. Shake well, and strain into a martini glass. Garnish with either a lemon curl or, if available, an edible pansie.