Bobby's Schiedam Dry Gin
Bobby's Schiedam Dry Gin is the flagship that started it all — 42% ABV (84 proof), 750mL, distilled botanical-by-botanical at the Herman Jansen family distillery in Schiedam, Netherlands. Brothers Sebastiaan and David van Bokkel built it on their grandfather "Bobby" Alfons's Indonesian Pinang Raci spice blend: juniper and classic gin botanicals layered with lemongrass, cloves, cinnamon, and cubeb pepper, each distilled separately and blended for precision. Order online from Del Mesa Liquor, San Diego, CA.
- ABV: 42% (84 proof)
- Size: 750mL
- Style: Dry gin — neutral grain base, Indonesian-spiced
- Botanicals: Juniper, cinnamon, cloves, coriander, cubeb pepper, lemongrass, rose hips, fennel — each distilled separately, then blended
- Origin: Distilled at Herman Jansen, Schiedam, Netherlands (family distillery since 1777)
- Story: Launched 2014 after ~2 years of recipe testing; grandfather Bobby's Pinang Raci spice blend
An Indonesian Spice Route in a Gin Bottle
Most gins reach for the Mediterranean; Bobby's reaches for the Moluccas. The van Bokkel brothers' grandfather carried his Pinang Raci spice blend from Ambon, Indonesia to the Netherlands in 1951, and the recipe the brothers rediscovered in 2012 became this gin — launched in 2014 after two years of testing. Distilling each botanical separately before blending lets the lemongrass stay bright, the cloves stay warm, and the cubeb pepper keep its tingle, all over a classic juniper backbone. It's the gin that made Schiedam's Indonesian-Dutch connection famous. See the full Bobby's range and more craft gin.
Tasting Notes
Nose: lemongrass, coriander, juniper, delicate pepper and spice, floral notes. Palate: fresh citrus, vibrant juniper, sweet orange, warm spices, cubeb pepper. Finish: smooth, fresh, peppery, long-lingering — the official descriptors.
How to Enjoy
The official perfect serve is a Gin & Tonic — the lemongrass and cubeb pepper love tonic's bitterness. It also makes a standout Negroni or Martini where the spice can step forward.
Frequently Asked Questions
What makes Bobby's Dry Gin different from other gins?
Its Indonesian spice bill — lemongrass, cloves, cinnamon, and cubeb pepper from the founders' grandfather's Pinang Raci recipe — layered over classic gin botanicals, with each botanical distilled separately before blending.
What is cubeb pepper?
Cubeb is a peppery Indonesian spice (sometimes called tailed pepper) with a warm, slightly camphorous bite — one of the signature notes in Bobby's gin, alongside lemongrass.
Is Bobby's Dry Gin the same as Bobby's Jenever?
No — same family and spice DNA, different spirits. The Dry Gin is a 42% neutral-grain dry gin; the Jenever is a 38% malt-wine-based Dutch spirit with a bready character.
Two years of testing, one unforgettable gin — order Bobby's Schiedam Dry Gin online from Del Mesa Liquor in San Diego, CA.
