EDITOR’S LETTER
VOLUME 12 - ISSUE 1
GUEST EDITOR MYRIAM HENDRICKX
As master distiller of Rutte Gin and Genever for 15 years, I’ve lived through the ups and downs of the gin category, and I’m excited about where it is now.
Photo by Margaret Pattillo
At Royal Dutch Distillers, we started 2019 with a restoration of our 150-year-old distillery, emphasizing our history even more. Talking to the workers, I discovered we shared a common ground: We all take pride in what we do. The carpenters love working in the old monumental buildings, keeping them “alive” and ready for the future and for me, the same. I feel proud that we get to produce the old family recipes and bring them into the modern bar world. Dutch genever, the forerunner of gin, is making a comeback, and gin is now certainly a worldwide trend. How exciting is that? It’s given us a chance to revisit old recipes and create new ones that are rooted in the botanical knowledge of past generations. But I’m grateful for change, too. I spoke recently with the last master distiller’s sister and heard that in years past, female members weren’t allowed in production. For me, it seems so normal. From a young age, I was independent and wanted to do something “cool” and I was always interested in food, drinks, and flavors. I never gave a thought that I was a woman. Have I had more challenges? Not really. Thankfully, I haven’t come across serious situations like the ones we’ve been hearing about. Have I been in embarrassing situations? Of course! But I don’t let it bother me. I use my femininity to my advantage and keep a professional distance. And when somebody does make, in my eyes, a stupid remark, I laugh inside because I will prove them wrong. In passion for our craft, we are all the same: man or woman, carpenter, master distiller, or bartender. We all want to make a perfect creation. Make the most of what you love!
ickx Myriam Hendr Myriam Hendrickx is the master distiller at Rutte and De Kuyper. She lectures frequently on hotel management in the Netherlands, and is the author of Smaak en Geur, Van Whisky Tot Likeur (“Taste and Smell from Whiskey to Liquor”).
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