De Borgen Malt Genever

De Borgen Malt Genever (1L, 40% ABV / 80 proof) goes back to the original distillation techniques of the 16th century for the fullest expression of the category. It carries the highest malt content in De Borgen's core lineup — a blend of 57% malt spirit (equal parts wheat, rye, and corn) and 43% neutral grain distillate — distilled on copper pot stills and aged six months in ex-Oloroso sherry casks. Available to order online at Del Mesa Liquor.

• ABV: 40% (80 proof)
• Size: 1L
• Malt content: 57% malt spirit (equal parts wheat, rye, corn) + 43% neutral grain distillate
• Distillation: Copper pot still
• Finish: 6 months in ex-Oloroso sherry casks
• Botanicals: Juniper berry, caraway seed, fennel, star anise, angelica root, sweet woodruff
• Origin: Hooghoudt Distillery, Groningen, Netherlands

The 16th Century in a 1-Liter Bottle

De Borgen's Malt Genever is built on a 16th-century recipe, from an era when genever was essentially malt whiskey's juniper-laced cousin. The malt-heavy blend is distilled with juniper and a traditional botanical bill — caraway, fennel, star anise, angelica root, and sweet woodruff — then given six months in ex-Oloroso sherry casks, the same seasoning that deepens the world's great sherried whiskies. The result is the highlight of the De Borgen range: robust yet refined, oak-kissed and unmistakably malty. Explore more from De Borgen or browse our gin collection for the full De Borgen lineup, from old-style to new-style genever.

Tasting Notes

Full-bodied with strong cereal aromas — fermenting grains, wheat hull, and wet sawdust on the nose, with juniper, coriander, and black pepper on the palate. Rich oak, warming spice, and hints of caramel and vanilla from the sherry casks round into a complex, warming finish with brown sugar, coffee, and a touch of cream.

How to Enjoy

Drink it like a whiskey: neat or with a single large cube to let the malt and sherry influence unfold. It's a natural fit for spirit-forward stirred cocktails — try it in a genever Manhattan or an Old Fashioned — where its weight and oak stand in beautifully for bourbon or rye.

Frequently Asked Questions

Malt genever is the fullest-bodied style of genever, built on a high percentage of malt wine. De Borgen's version uses 57% malt spirit (wheat, rye, and corn) — the highest malt content in its core lineup — pot-distilled and finished six months in ex-Oloroso sherry casks.

The Malt Genever goes further back — a 16th-century-style recipe with more malt character and a sherry-cask finish, while the Old-Style blends unaged and 17-year-old malt wine for a juniper-forward old-world profile. Both are 80 proof; the Malt is sold in a 1L bottle.

Yes — especially malt genever. Fans of unpeated, full-flavored world whiskies will find De Borgen Malt familiar territory: grainy, oak-influenced, and excellent neat or in stirred cocktails.

Pick up De Borgen Malt Genever today at Del Mesa Liquor — a 16th-century recipe, bottled for the modern shelf, available to order online.