The Arrow Alley is narrow, and not by accident. Wynand Fockink had the alley built himself, directly to his front door. That says something about the man, and about the place. The distillery began in 1679, and in 1724 Fockink himself took over the business. It has carried his name ever since. Later, Maria Fockink inherited the business, and so it remained in the family.
The tasting room has kept its 17th-century look. No designingreep, no hipster coating over it. The paneling, the wooden shelves full of labeled bottles, the atmosphere: everything has remained as it was. Behind the bar, they pour from an assortment of 51 liqueurs, 9 brandies, 8 genevers, 4 bitters, 1 corn wine and an Amsterdam Dry Gin. That's not a menu, that's an archive. The best-known liqueurs are Volmaakt Geluk and Bruidstranen, but Hansje in de Kelder and Boswandeling are also classics that have been made for generations.
There is a tradition you must adhere to on your first sip: bow. The glass is full to the brim, and you are not allowed to use your hands with it. So you bend down, slurp away the first sip, and only then do you pick up the glass. Tourists do it uncomfortably, regulars do it without a second thought. Besides gin, they serve Half and Half (a mix of gin and liqueur), Superior Gin, Fruit Brandy, Korenwijn and draft beer. And for those who want to understand more of what goes on in the boilers, there are tours of the distillery, explaining the distillation process and the history of Dutch spirits.
Bend down, slurp away the first sip, and only then do you pick up the glass. Tourists do it uncomfortably, regulars do it without thinking.
The liquor store next to the tasting room lets you take away bottles, including the signature tulip-shaped glasses and gift sets. It's a place for those curious about what the city has been drinking for centuries. Not a tourist attraction in the pejorative sense, but a place that happens to be found by tourists. Come on a weekday afternoon, order a Perfect Happiness, bow before your first sip, and you'll understand why this has been around for so long.