Bols Corenwijn (2 year)

Flavor Profile

When discussing Bols Corenwijn, it’s worth starting from the beginning. What is a Corenwijn?

The word itself is a bit of a cognate. it translates to “corn wine,” and refers to the high amount of malt wine present in this product (>51%). This mean it’s less than 100% Maltwine products like Old Duff’s and more than Jonge (5-15% maltwine) and Oude (min. 15%) styles of genever.

Bols Corenwijn has been aged for two years in a Limousin oak barrels and is bottled at 38% ABV.

Tasting Notes

Color: Flaxen in hue and perfectly transparent.

Nose: Sweet malt notes suggestive of corn pudding on top. Nutty, light hints of cognac are intimated by the clean, oak.

Flavor: Crisp and clean on the palate. Gently sweet corn malt, eases into a slightly nutty mid-palate. Towards the back of the palate, a hint of pine with woody facets. There’s only a very subtle, mild sweetness here. It more is an impression suggested by the texture/smoothness of the spirit rather than a clear and present-post distillation sweetness. (Though it could be, as Corenwijn is able to have up to 20g/L of sweetening added)

Finish: Clean and smooth with malt flavor dominating, highlighted by gentle terpey hints of hops and hay.

Cocktails

I generally don’t recommend Corenwijn as a cocktail ingredient. If you need some recommendations, this site has a couple including a Corenwijn Frappe, which is really just Corenwijn and ice.

I recommend sipping Bols Corenwijn neat.

Overall, Bols Corenwijn

The name might sound esoteric, but the spirit inside is unusually smooth and easy to drink.

While craft whiskey drinkers might shudder at a mere two year barrel aging, let me the first to say— there is none of that green oak character or tannic harshness. At a mere two years, it exhibits a roundness that you don’t often see in whiskies (or aged gins for that matter).

If you’re new to Corenwijn or genever in general— the two year aged Bols Corenwijn is a great point of introduction.

Recommended in its category.

Awards