When a family that has been distilling genever in Holland since 1691 comes out with their first new gin in 40 years, one has to take notice. It was Carolus H.J. Nolet, the tenth-generation patriarch, who broke with tradition years ago by distilling a vodka, which achieved fame as Ketel One.
With this success behind them, and noticing America’s renewed interest in gin cocktails, Carolus and his sons—Nolet Spirits USA Executive Vice President Carl Jr. and younger brother Bob, who oversees the family’s Schiedam distillery—decided to return to their roots and created Nolet’s Silver ($50), which may very well be the ultimate London-style dry gin.
An overriding thick floral essence is the first indication that this is no ordinary gin, for Nolet’s Silver is distilled with botanicals rarely—if ever—combined in gin, including white peach, Turkish rose, and raspberries. Bottled at a heavier-than-usual 95.2 proof to hold in the complexities of flavors, Nolet’s Silver provides a ready canvas for cocktails that even transcend the perfect martini. (877.665.3887, www.noletsgin.com)
