Where may jenever come from?

The product file mentions Belgium, the Netherlands, the French departments Nord (59) and Pas-de-Calais (62) and the German states Nordrhein-Westfalen and Niedersachsen.

The production step that gives the product its character must take place in that area. RVO manages the Dutch side of the files and publishes them online as PDF.

The dossier was drawn up jointly by producer organisations from four countries. That explains why, besides Belgium and the Netherlands, it includes two French départements and two German federal states.

A geographical indication protects the name, not the recipe: anyone distilling outside the area may make the product, but may not call it jenever.

Regulation (EU) 2019/787 regulates this in Chapter III. Article 10 also provides that a drink that meets none of the categories must be called spirit drink.

A spirit flavoured with juniper berries from outside the area can exist. It falls under category 19 and may carry the name Wacholder or genebra.

For Jonge jenever and Oude jenever the area is smaller: the product specifications name only the Kingdom of Belgium and the Kingdom of the Netherlands.

Both must contain at least 35 percent alcohol by volume. Young jenever stays below 15 percent malt wine in the alcohol volume and below 10 grams of sugar per litre; old jenever has at least 15 percent malt wine and at most 20 grams of sugar.

Graanjenever sits in between: Belgium, the Netherlands and the two French departments, without the German federal states.

Every genever is flavoured with juniper berries and contains at least 1.5 percent malt wine in the pure alcohol volume.

The regulation permits two kinds of berry: Juniperus communis L. and Juniperus oxicedrus L. The malt wine is distilled at between 80 and 40 percent by volume from whole grains.

In addition, the sugar content stays below 20 grams per litre and only caramel (E150a) may be used for colour.

RVO names five protected Dutch jenever names: Jenever, Graanjenever, Jonge jenever, Oude jenever and Vruchtenjenever.

Each of those five has its own product specification with its own requirements. Fruit jenever may start at 18 percent alcohol by volume; the other four are at 30 or 35 percent by volume.

Names such as korenwijn and moutwijnjenever are not among them. They are used, but are not laid down in a product file.

The designation on the label tells you whether a bottle falls under a protected designation, and that designation is tied to an area.

The name, the net quantity and the alcohol content by volume must be in the same field of vision. The name and address of the producer or importer must also be on it.

Wilt u zeker weten waar een fles vandaan komt, lees dan die gegevens. Wij zoeken het in de winkel graag met u uit; NIX18 geldt bij elke verkoop.