Bols

In 1975, the Bols family began distilling liqueurs in the heart of Amsterdam, in a workshop called ‘t Lootsje’ (The Shed). It was the beginning of what is today one of the world’s oldest distilled spirits brands, and the oldest registered company in Holland. Lucan Bols, who headed the company during the Golden Age, had a majority stake in the VOC – the Dutch East India Trading Company – which gave him privileged access to a wide variety of exotic herbs and spices returning from the colonies in Indonesia, South America and the Caribbean. This enabled Bols to create a broad palate of flavours, culminating in 300 different liqueur recipes in the 18th century. Adjacent to the distillery, Bols operated a proeflokaal (tasting pub) where their neighbour and famous painter Rembrandt often dropped in with his students. After running up a tab over almost two years, one day in 1658 Rembrandt paid his bill with a painting, which has been with the company ever since and is displayed today in the House of Bols in Amsterdam.