Hello? Is anyone still there? Just checking to make sure you haven’t deleted me from your RSS feeds before I break the big news: I have unpacked the last box. Every single blessed piece of junk I own has been unpacked, dusted, washed, swept, vacuumed and put away. I even managed to get all the rugs washed and put down. I have cleaned so much I actually chafed my knuckles with water. How’s that for dedication?

The Farm, as we affectionately refer to our new abode, is now in proper order and we can commence living here, as opposed to existing around a scale model of Tokyo composed entirely of moving boxes. As such, I wanted to ease back into this business of blogging with a recap of an event from last weekend. Normally I don’t post these sorts of things, but because there’s such a hum in the air as regards the new Bols Genever I feel it’s only right to share my experience.

Every month the Los Angeles cocktail types get together at an event called The Sporting Life to drink and be merry while discussing our favorite spirits and cocktails. Each event has a different sponsor with cocktails made by some of the best local bartenders. We’ve been fortunate in our patronage thus far, with events backed by Partida, Plymouth, St. Germain, Martin Miller’s, Woodford Reserve…you get the idea. This month we scored big and had the good fortune to be tasting cocktails made with the brand-spanking-new Bols Genever at the absolutely beautiful Edison downtown, hosted by their very energetic and informative brand ambassador, Tal Nadari. (Technically he’s the vice president of marketing, but he’s such a nice guy the title seems a bit unwieldy for my purposes.)

The usual suspects were all in attendance—including everyone’s favorite Doctor—and we enjoyed excellent cocktails made by Eric Alperin, Chris Ojeda and Marcos Tello: a Tom Collins to start, followed by the Improved Holland Cocktail while we absorbed Tal’s whirlwind history lesson. Next was a genever tasting featuring Boomsa Jonge, the local Genevieve and Bols, and we capped it off with the drink of choice for youth in the Netherlands, a glass of genever and a beer.

So, now for the part you’re all wondering about: how is the Bols? Not having a hell of a lot of experience with genever, the tasting really helped me flesh out my feelings about the category. The Boomsa wasn’t my favorite, with entirely too much burn and not enough flavor. Both the Genevieve and the Bols was delightfully malty and flavorful, with the Genevieve carrying a more floral characteristic and the Bols with a robust malted wine flavor. The Bols absolutely knocked my socks off in the Tom Collins and, surprisingly, is great straight alongside a beer. I will definitely be picking up a bottle as soon as I get near one of my liquor haunts (and probably a bottle of Genevieve, too).

Now I’m off to celebrate my triumph over inanimate objects with a glass of absinthe. Cheers all, and have a great weekend. See you next week with new cocktails!

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