GENEVER BELIEVER

Distilled from grain and flavored with a modest amount of pine-like juniper, genever (pronounced je-NEE-ver) might be described best as the malty, mellow love child of gin and whiskey. And, just as the American cocktail renaissance brought gin roaring back, this historic spirit is likewise experiencing a renewed interest.

In fact, genever is considered the predecessor to London dry gin and other modern-day styles. The Dutch first popularized the botanical spirit in the 16th century, and it was a common cocktail ingredient at U.S.