Original Spirit of Amsterdam by ANDSTAAT

The Original Spirit 
of Amsterdam

Distilling more than 400 years of history and an unknown product into an understandable yet exciting brand story. Bols Genever brings the bold, direct, yet smart and playful attitude of Amsterdam to the US market through a great tone of voice, ownable visual direction and unexpected experiences.

Genever is complex, in your face, and uncompromising. But also beautifully rich, layered and well-crafted. Some love it, others loath it – and Bols owns it. So let’s be honest about it, and tell the story in a typical Amsterdam way. With a slice of attitude and a dash of humour.

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Instead of focusing on its unique rich heritage – the brand was founded in 1575 – or presenting it in a context of well-known Amsterdam icons, such as canal houses, Rembrandt and bikes, Bols avoids the obvious and creates a world of its own.

Project

The Art of
Mixing & Blending

Presenting the world’s oldest distillery brand to the audience of today in a physical environment. The award-winning House of Bols Cocktail & Genever experience takes visitors on a flavour journey through the history and future of cocktails. Using interactive installations and immersive storytelling, they are invited to discover which secrets hide behind the production, sourcing and flavour of the best cocktails. The tour ends with a personalized drink in a bespoke bar. The perfect start to a great night.

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Designed as a self-guided tour, the full-sensory experience blends new technology with traditional craftsmanship to immerse visitors in a world of flavour. Each one of the 17 independent spaces breathes a unique atmosphere, and brings a cocktail story to life through storytelling and design. From the inception of the company, via the sourcing of the ingredients to making your own cocktail in the bar.

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“Seventeen unique spaces are collected together in one place that all give a new insight into the Bols brand in a three dimensional, contemporary way in terms of their atmosphere, experience and use of materials. It is clear to see that the client and the designers together have created a really multidisciplinary experience space out of enthusiasm combined with an equally clear and coordinated vision.”

Jury Result Dutch Design Awards – The Best Dutch Design of 2007

Project

Client

Bols

Date

2008
2017

Partners

Build
Fiction Factory
Video production
Orfixmedia

Digital Production
Random Studio

Awards

Dutch Design Award - Best Exhibition & Experience

Add History to Your Cocktail

Creating a brand that returns genever to its rightful position on back-bars and in cocktails. Based on an original 1820 genever recipe, Bols Genever is an essential ingredient in classic and original cocktails. As one of the key ingredients in many 19th-century cocktail recipes, it was part of the cocktail revolution that created the foundation of today’s cocktail culture.

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The bottle design is derived from the characteristic shape of the 19th-century classic clay genever jugs, executed in smoked glass to give it a contemporary and sophisticated character. The logo is inspired by an original 19th-century Bols logo, and refers to traditional Amsterdam hand-painted café and shop window lettering. The calligraphic script was designed by Dutch calligrapher Niels Shoe Meulman.

The family of Bols Genevers has grown with barrel-aged genever, 100 per cent malt spirit, and limited editions. The perfect serve comes in custom-made, smoked-glass classic cocktail glasses, based on the original 19th-century cocktail glassware.