Wynand Fockink

Wynand Fockink is a tasting room, shop and distillery tucked into the Pijlsteeg, a narrow alley just behind Dam Square. The distillery building dates from 1679, and Wynand Fockink took over the business in 1724, giving it the name it still carries. By 1870 it employed 80 people and ran five stills and a steam engine. The distillery was completely renovated in 2013, when two new copper kettles were installed, and it continued under Lucas Bols, the long-established Dutch spirits company.

The tasting room, or proeflokaal, is a small, traditional space, and it is one of the few places in the city where the traditional way of drinking jenever survives. Your glass is filled right to the brim, and the custom is to bow down and take the first sip without lifting it from the bar. The range includes young and aged genevers, such as the Jonge and a five-year-aged Superior, and fruit and herb liqueurs, including lemon and liquorice. Beer is also served for those who prefer it.

A visit suits anyone curious about Dutch drinking culture, from spirits enthusiasts to visitors who simply want to try the bowing ritual once. It is a short stop rather than a full night out: most people stay for one or two glasses before moving on. The adjoining shop sells bottles to take home, and the products are also available online with delivery in the Netherlands.

The tasting room is small and fills quickly, especially in the late afternoon and early evening, so arriving earlier in the afternoon gives you more room at the counter. Opening times are published on the distillery's channels; check them before making a special trip. Remember that jenever is strong, and pace yourself if you plan to continue the evening.

The Pijlsteeg runs between Dam Square and Warmoesstraat, so the tasting room is a few minutes' walk from the Royal Palace, the Nationaal Monument and the Oude Kerk, and about ten minutes from Central Station. It is easy to fit in between sights in the old centre or as a first stop on an evening out, and Café Hoppe on the Spui is around ten minutes' walk to the south-west.