Rutte Distillery

The Netherlands

"We make botanical Rutte genever and liqueurs, with love for craft."

Often overlooked in favor of nearby Rotterdam, we think Dordrecht is a destination that truly deserves to be discovered. As the oldest city in Holland, it has a beautifully preserved historic city center. And for spirits lovers, there’s even more reason to visit: Dordrecht is home to Rutte Distillery!

Traditional Rutte distillery in Dordrecht

Located in a historic building in the heart of Dordrecht, Rutte Distillery has been crafting high-quality spirits on the very same site since 1872. This small, traditional Dutch distillery is one of the city’s hidden gems and a must-visit for lovers of jenever, gin, and artisanal spirits.

The story of the Rutte Distillery begins in the 18th century, when the Rutte family settled in Rotterdam and became involved in the distilling trade. In the 19th century, Antonius Rutte moved to Dordrecht. His son Simon later purchased a café, where he founded the distillery that still operates today. The first spirits were distilled in the back room of the building, a space that is still used for distilling jenever and gin today.

For generations, the craft of distillation was passed down from father to son. Although the Rutte family is no longer directly involved in daily operations, the distillery continues its legacy under the leadership of Myriam Hendrickx, who began working here shortly before the passing of John Rutte, the 7th generation distiller.

Visitors to Rutte Distillery can step back in time. The tasting room, now located in what was once the family’s living room, offers an authentic experience. At the front of the building, the original liquor store remains much as it always has been. Little has changed over the decades, making a visit to Rutte Distillery feel like a journey into Dutch distilling history.

The art of distilling Rutte jenever

For generations, the Rutte family distillery has been producing a range of traditional Dutch genevers. Long before it became common practice, Rutte was already aging genever in barrels. Alongside genever, the distillery has also been crafting artisanal liqueurs.

While rooted in centuries-old distilling traditions, Rutte Distillery continues to innovate. Today’s master distillers create modern expressions, including new genevers, liqueurs and premium vodka, all while respecting the authentic methods that define the distillery’s heritage.

As a true botanical distillery, Rutte uses no artificial flavors or colorings. Every aroma, flavor, and natural color comes from carefully selected fresh fruits, herbs, nuts, and plant-based ingredients. In addition to classic juniper berries, the distillers experiment with distinctive botanicals such as garlic, lemon peel, carob and celery leaf.

Rutte dry gin and jenever cocktails

Today, Rutte Distillery offers an internationally recognized portfolio of premium spirits, including Rutte Old Simon Genever, Rutte Old Tom Genever, Paradyswyn Genever, and Rutte Dutch Dry Gin.

In 2015, Master Distiller Myriam Hendrickx traveled across the United States to (re)introduce traditional Rutte genever and gin to bartenders in multiple states. Her mission helped spark renewed interest in Dutch genever within the international bar scene and cocktail community.

This growing global recognition reached a milestone in 2017, when Rutte Old Simon Genever was selected as the base spirit in the winning cocktail at the prestigious Tales of the Cocktail competition. The award-winning drink was a creative reinterpretation of the classic Martini cocktail. Rumor has it that the Martini evolved from the iconic Martinez cocktail, which was almost certainly originally made with Dutch genever.

Exploring historic Dordrecht

We don’t need to tell you twice, a visit to the Rutte Distillery tasting room and liquor store in Dordrecht is an experience not to be missed. Whether you’re joining a small tasting, visiting with a larger group, or booking a hands-on distillery workshop. During selected workshops, visitors can even create their own unique spirit and take their personal liquid creation home.

Beyond the distillery, the historic city center of Dordrecht offers plenty to explore. One of the highlights is the medieval Grote Kerk, where climbing the tower rewards visitors with a panoramic view over the city and surrounding waterways.

Be sure to stroll along the historic harbor, lined with beautifully preserved old warehouses that once formed the heart of Holland’s most important trading center for wine and other foodstuffs. Dordrecht’s rich maritime history is visible at every turn.

With so much to see and do, staying overnight in Dordrecht is a great idea. The city not only offers cultural attractions and history, but also serves as an ideal base for visiting nearby Rotterdam.

Updated: 10-12-2025