Bokma
The genever in the square bottle that is round on the inside, and the brand that made grain genever big. Everything about the types, percentages, kopstoot, and the glass that goes with it.
The bottle that is square on the outside and round on the inside
Bokma is a Frisian brand named after Piet Bokma, who introduced Bokma Jonge Graanjenever in 1966, putting a new category on the map: genever made entirely from grain, without molasses-based alcohol. That is still the guiding principle, and you can taste it: the genever is lightly malty, with juniper in the background rather than at the forefront.
The bottle is just as recognizable as the taste. Sleek and square on the outside, round on the inside, with the corners filled in with glass. Besides the young and old grain genevers, there are two aged versions, five and ten years old, which have rested in American and French oak and are therefore closer to whisky than to the drink served from the freezer.
In brief
What types of Bokma are there?
Bokma Jonge Graanjenever
The classic from 1966: lightly malty and fresh-herbal, with subtle juniper. Ice-cold from the freezer, and the standard half of a kopstoot.
Bokma Oude Jenever
More malt wine in the blend, making it fuller, sweeter, and grainier. 'Old' refers to the style here, not the age.
Bokma aged 5 years
Five years in oak barrels. The juniper recedes, making way for vanilla, nuts, and oak.
Bokma aged 10 years
Ten years and double maturation in American and French oak: soft vanilla, a hint of orange, and deep oak notes.
The young one for a kopstoot; the 10-year-old if you want to drink it like whisky.
Lightly malty, with juniper in the background
Grain & juniper
Lightly malty grain with juniper underneath, and a fresh, spicy note. Much softer than an old Dutch genever with a lot of malt wine.
Dry and grainy
Dry and grainy, with juniper and a slightly peppery spiciness. At 35%, the young version is also pleasant to drink ice-cold.
Short and clean
A short, dry finish with grain. In the aged versions, it becomes considerably longer and warmer, with vanilla and wood.
Flavor profile of Bokma Young Grain Genever. The aged version is sweeter and grainier; the 5- and 10-year-aged versions score higher on sweetness and power from the oak.
Three ways to drink Bokma
Young genever should be ice-cold, while aged genever should be served at room temperature. The difference is greater than the price would suggest.
Ice-cold, to the brim
Put the bottle in the freezer and fill the tulip glass all the way to the brim. Take the first sip with your hands behind your back, bent over the glass: that way you do not spill, and that is how it is done in a café.
Glass: genever glass →As a kopstoot
A full tulip glass of young genever next to a glass of pilsner. First sip the genever from the rim, then drink the beer. The combination is more Dutch than any cocktail, and works best with a young, dry genever.
Kopstoot →The aged neat
4 cl Bokma 10 year in a tumbler or tasting glass, at room temperature. After ten years in oak, it is close to a light whisky: vanilla, orange and wood.
Glass: tumbler →Cocktails with genever
Genever was the original base for a number of cocktails we now make with gin. With a young grain genever, you can simply turn them back.
Kopstoot
A full glass of genever next to a glass of pilsner. Not a cocktail, but a classic.
Amsterdam Sour
Genever with lemon, sugar and egg white. The Dutch take on a sour.
John Collins
Lemon, sugar and sparkling water. The original version was made with genever.
Dutch Martini
Dry vermouth with jenever instead of gin. Fuller and more grain-forward than the original.The right glass for jenever
A stemmed tulip-shaped jenever glass for jenever served ice-cold to the rim, and a shot glass or tumbler for the aged versions. These are the glasses we recommend ourselves.
Everything you still wanted to know about Bokma
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