Blue, Bold, and Bottled History: A Toast to Bols 1575

Let’s set the scene: it’s a Tuesday morning after Memorial Day. Bob Cutler looks in the mirror, cocktail shaker in one hand, judgment in the other, and thinks, “Is now the time for a Kentucky Strawberry Mule?” The answer, my friends, is no. But for Bob of Cocktails with Friends, the answer was definitely yes to caffeination and conversation, with none other than Monique ten Kortenaar, the master distiller of Lucas Bols.

Now, if you don’t know Bols, welcome to the liqueur lounge. They’re not just some trendy new brand with botanical buzzwords—they’ve been distilling since 1575. That’s not a typo. That’s older than Shakespeare, denim, and definitely your cocktail game.

Bob sat down—well, virtually Zoom-sat—with Monique from the Netherlands (because, of course, some of the oldest distilleries are in Europe) to talk about their newest creation: Bols Blue 1575. It’s a twist on their classic blue Curaçao, but with Jamaican rum, vanilla, cardamom, and something called “grains of paradise,” which sounds like a potion you might trade for in a fantasy RPG but is actually a real spice.

Monique, the first woman to lead the Bols distilling ship, took over after more than a decade with the brand and a master distiller title that came with a healthy respect for tradition. She spent over a year developing this new blue beauty, balancing bitter orange peels, sweet notes, and a warm depth that says, “Yeah, I am the glow-up of your blue margarita dreams.”

Bols Blue 1575 isn’t just a rebrand—it’s a redefinition. It’s the blue that bartenders will reach for when they want to impress. Not just any blue, but the blue.

So next time you want to shake things up, skip the basic and go bold with Bols. Monique’s masterpiece is here to make your cocktail not just colorful, but legendary.

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Cheers!