If you’re a gin lover, you’ll want to get your hands on the exclusive De Lijn gin from Holland America Line.
Gin has been an anchor in Holland America Line’s history dating back to the company’s inception, and to celebrate that 150-year tradition the cruise line is debuting a new exclusive label of the spirit on board. Affectionately named De Lijn in a nod to Holland America Line’s roots, the bottle is adorned with a label boasting the name in Dutch orange, accented with line drawings of brilliant blue juniper berries in a style the cruise line has coined as Modern Delft, an homage to iconic blue and white of Dutch Delftware.
This Holland America gin is made with a blend of Dutch-inspired botanicals, including orange and rose, along with elderberry, lemon verbena, lemon, raspberry, and juniper. Each botanical is cold distilled separately for distinct and consistent flavors. The result is a premium gin, made in America, inspired by the Netherlands, and specially crafted for Holland America Line. The flavor profile is bright, floral, and slightly over-proofed, making it ideal for mixing cocktails.
De Lijn is Holland America Line’s first produced spirit. It is now available in all bars and lounges fleetwide as a gin of choice. It’s also featured in some specialty cocktails that showcase its smooth and well-balanced flavor. Bottles are available for purchase in cruise ship shops, so you can take a bottle home for your own personal happy hours.
The new 150th anniversary cocktails are:
- Dutch 150 A twist on a French 75 with De Lijn Gin, lemon juice, and sparkling wine.
- 150th Martini Classic Martini with De Lijn Gin and Noilly Pratt Dry Vermouth.
- De Lijn Gin and Tonic is an exclusive drink prepared tableside in the Pinnacle Grill specialty restaurant. In addition to De Lijn Gin and Fever Tree Premium Indian Tonic, the cocktail blends an assortment of seasonal botanicals such as juniper berries, peppercorns, verbena, star anise, mint, and expressed citrus.
I’m not a bit gin drinker, mostly because I’m not a fan of the flavor of juniper. When other botanicals are more forward-tasting in the flavor profile, especially when blended into special cocktails, I’ve become a fan. Holland America’s introduction of De Lijn cocktails with its modern botanicals makes me curious to give it a try. We took two Holland America cruises this year (read about our inside passage itinerary on the Koningsdam), but these gin cocktails were not yet on the menu.
Until we get back on board these signature cocktails, I’m going to try making the Dutch 150 at home. I don’t have De Lijn, but I’ll get by with what we have. (Recipe below)
I’m looking forward to elevating my gin game and looking forward to this celebration of Holland America’s Dutch heritage in their menus. What a great way to commemorate 150 years of sailing.
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Recipe
Dutch 150
The Dutch 150 is a twist on the classic French 75 cocktail, made with Holland America's new De Lijn gin, created to celebrate the cruise line's 150th anniversary. While I haven't been on board since this specialty gin launched, I'll have to make do until the next sailing.
Ingredients
- 1 ounce Holland America's De Lijn gin
- 1/2 ounce fresh lemon juice
- 1/2 ounce simple syrup
- 3 ounce sparkling wine (I'm using Prosecco)
- Orange twist for garnish
Instructions
Combine gin, lemon juice, and simple syrup in chilled cocktail shaker. Shake briskly and pour into champagne flute. Top up with Prosecco. Garnish with orange twist.
Notes
You can use any sparkling wine you choose - Champagne, Prosecco, Cava, sparkling white. We usually have a solid mid-range Prosecco at home, so that's what we use.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
1Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 234Total Fat: 0gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 6mgCarbohydrates: 27gFiber: 3gSugar: 20gProtein: 1g
(NOTE: nutritional information is auto-generated and should only serve as an estimated guideline)