Bobby's Schiedam Dry Gin
Bobby's · Herman Jansen Distillery
Bobby's earns its place through cultural friction — the collision of Indonesian and Dutch botanical traditions creates a gin that feels like it was wrestled into existence. Named for the grandfather who blended two worlds in colonial-era Indonesia, this Schiedam-distilled spirit doesn't smooth away its contradictions; it embraces them. The lemongrass-juniper tension on the palate is genuinely compelling, and the spice backbone gives it uncommon structure for cocktails while remaining rewarding neat. A gin that carries the grit of its story in every sip.
Nose
Indonesian lemongrass leads assertively, followed by green juniper, coriander seed, fresh cubeb pepper, and a whisper of clove. A faint citrus peel sweetness appears after the glass warms, binding the spice notes into something cohesive and quietly confrontational.
Palate
Medium-bodied with genuine texture. Lemongrass and rosemary arrive first with peppery heat, then juniper pushes through the middle — resinous and earthy rather than bright. Indonesian spices (clove, cinnamon) create friction against the cooler European botanicals. A cardamom-like warmth lingers alongside fennel seed and a subtle floral note.
Finish
Medium-long and dry, with cubeb pepper heat persisting alongside juniper resin and a fading trail of lemongrass. There's a pleasant gritty, almost mineral quality as the spices slowly recede.
Cocktail Suggestion
The Crossing — 2 oz Bobby's Schiedam Dry Gin · 0.75 oz fresh lime juice · 0.5 oz ginger syrup · 0.25 oz green Chartreuse · 2 dashes celery bitters · Combine all ingredients in a shaker with ice. Shake hard for 12 seconds. Double-strain into a chilled coupe. Lay the lemongrass stalk across the rim and dust with cracked black pepper. · Garnish: Lemongrass stalk and a pinch of cracked black pepper · Glass: Coupe
Food Pairing
These golden, craggy-edged corn fritters — seasoned with garlic, scallion, and celery leaf — mirror the gin's Indonesian-Dutch duality. The fritter's crispy exterior and sweet corn interior find friction with Bobby's peppery lemongrass heat, while the gin's juniper backbone cuts through the frying oil. A sambal dipping sauce on the side amplifies the cubeb pepper finish, creating a pairing that feels both unexpected and deeply correct.
In Schiedam — the historic Dutch capital of genever — the Herman Jansen Distillery has been operating since 1777. Bobby's Gin was created by Sebastiaan van Bokkel, who named it for his Indonesian grandfather, Bobby, who blended Dutch and Indonesian culinary traditions in his kitchen. That cultural friction — East meeting West not in harmony but in productive tension — is the gin's animating force. Indonesian botanicals like lemongrass, clove, and cubeb pepper are forced into dialogue with classic European juniper and coriander inside copper pot stills that have seen centuries of use. Every batch is a negotiation between two botanical philosophies, and the result carries the earned complexity of that collision.
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