Scent does something to you
"Everything starts with the nose for me," says Fenny van Wees (1959), who has been running the family business since 2000. She welcomes us in a cozy space in the historic building, which resembles a museum. It certainly is not: it is a bustling company where currently about 60 types of liqueurs and 18 types of genevers are distilled. The centuries-old craft practiced here continues to develop thanks to Fenny's vision and creativity. “I am always tweaking existing recipes and constantly asking myself if it can be even tastier.” She also uses ingredients that have existed since time immemorial but were unknown in the Netherlands in the past. For example, we taste a beautifully fragrant distillate based on yuzu, an exotic Japanese citrus fruit. With our eyes closed, we inhale the scent. We can't quite place it: is it lime, tangerine? It even has a slight pine scent, it seems. It is an exciting, complex scent that evokes a memory in us. That is precisely what Fenny wants to make clear to us: scent 'does' something to you.
You can learn to smell
“Very few people realize how essential scent is in our lives,” Fenny continues. “Scent is leading in everything you eat and drink, but we are hardly aware of it. Even in the time of the Ancient Greeks, philosophers considered the nose subordinate to sight, hearing, and touch. It is an underrated organ, while it is indispensable for how we experience the world around us. How scent works is a mystery, it is a complex interplay of our scent receptors with our brain, and it is difficult to find universal words to define a scent. We always link it to something that has that scent: an orange, a rose, a coconut, rotten eggs, for example. There are only a few hunter tribes that distinguish and name specific scents and scent groups. That is not surprising, because in these cultures it is vital to notice the scent of an approaching predator. In our modern society, that is of course not the case. That's a shame. I am convinced that you can learn to smell.” As a child, Fenny was already very aware of scent and the emotion it can evoke in you. Just as many people recall an event, visualize it, she says she can bring memories 'to the nose.' The scent of the children's Bible her grandmother gave her, the memory of a stew simmering in the kitchen of her childhood home. Can you smell memories, we wonder?
The nose of the Netherlands
Over the years, Fenny has increasingly cultivated her sense of smell. As modest as she is, we may well call her 'the nose of the Netherlands.' She knows like no other how to capture the essence of taste and scent in her products, telling a story with them. It is incredibly fascinating to see how passionate she is about her craft. “I can talk about genever for two days,” she smiles. Van Wees finds it important to pass on her knowledge, to promote the centuries-old craft of fine distilling, and to prevent its decline. Her knowledge is enormous. That has not gone unnoticed. Because scent also plays an important role in gastronomy, she occasionally gives masterclasses to top chefs, restaurateurs, and other craftsmen, such as chocolatiers or pastry chefs. She once organized a lunch tasting for Sergio Herman. Van Wees products are also popular in the cocktail world. We find it great that this old craft is so appreciated in 'hipper' circles. But it is certainly not a gimmick: the art of distilling is a world in itself that is fortunately being discovered more and more.
The art of smelling
Fenny wrote a particularly fascinating book about the family business, in which she also discusses the history of distilling in the Netherlands and extensively talks about the art of smelling. Distilling. The art of smelling is available at bol.com. If, like us, you are captivated by scent after this story, then the two-day course You can learn to smell at the Van Wees Geneverschool is highly recommended. There are still places available for November 4.
