gin no. 117 – Sylvius Dutch Dry Gin

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• I got this gin as a gift from Niki and Sreyleak when I visited to meet their baby in October 2025 and opened it on December 1.
• Named for Dr. Franciscus Sylvius who is undeservedly credited for inventing gin.
• The flavor is dominated by anise, which gives it a limited audience.

Franciscus Sylvius was a Dutch physician who is commonly credited for inventing gin. He didn’t. Well I wasn’t there, but everyone says he didn’t, except of course for those who are always saying he did. Anyway, he got a gin named after him, and this is that gin, maybe*. Like him, it comes from The Netherlands. Unlike him, at least to the best of my knowledge, it tastes like licorice.

I received my bottle from Niki and Sreyleak in October of 2025 when I went to Houston to visit their new baby. They always find me gins that I have never tried and usually ones I didn’t even know existed. Since I had to bring it back to Concord, I didn’t open it until I got home. It finally was cracked on December 1. I tried it neat and with tonic. With tonic it has a strong taste of anise seed, so many people will undoubtedly dislike it, my mother included. But I found it enjoyable, though not very “ginny”.

*Johan Kersten wrote the following in reply to the review of Sylvius on “the GIN is IN”:
The gin is not “Holland Gin” but “London Dry Gin”. It’s single distilled, no sugars, un (chill) filtered, at a strength above 70% (after distillation and diluted to 45%).
On the name Sylvius. As stories go, there were 2 Dr.s Sylvius who operated in the city of Leiden. One around 1550, and one in 1650. Up till today you might visit the Sylvius Laboratory. The name Genevre was coined by Dr. Sylvius, the one in 1650, for distillates containing juniper. Hence the birth of genever as a category. Our distillery started distilling in Leiden (as the only distillery there) in 1658. So there is some relevant historical link between the two and we decided to name our gin after our heritage ánd the heritage of genevre.
The difference between Gin and Genever is the presence of Moutwijn (malt-spirit) in genever. And genever has a lower percentage of botanicals per litre. Genever is therefore more of a mix between gin and whisky as Moutwijn is basically whisky, only the yeast is different.
Holland Gin, or Genever, is always with this ingredient Moutwijn, and by flavour completely different as gin.
Anyway, we love you took the time to taste our gin. If I may challenge you a bit:
When you try this gin neat; it will give you the typical London Dry taste (Juniper, citrus, angelica). As soon as you mix/dilute it, it completely alters in flavour as it opens up the licorice and star anise (and caraway! Well spotted!!)
We’re proud that we achieved this delicate balance between the alcohol percentages and the flavours it opens.
If you dilute it even further, down to 1:10, orange is the dominant flavour.

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