Hertog Jan | The anatomy of taste

Barrel ageing is demanding work. It calls for an understanding of distilling and the craft of coopering, because only a precise marriage of spirit and oak yields something worth waiting for. Each year the brewers use the barley wine crown jewel, Grand Prestige, to create Vatgerijpt. It is a limited‑edition taste adventure for brewers and beer lovers, and a fixed point in Hertog Jan’s calendar and communication.

Every Vatgerijpt is a chance to show the craft behind the beer. In 2019 the team selected jenever barrels, which produced three distinct Vatgerijpt variants and, as a companion, a jenever distilled from Grand Prestige. As a tribute to the Netherlands’ heritage of artists and makers, the series took the name Dutch Masters.

That idea set the tone for everything around the release. Packaging, booklets, PR and launch materials all carried the Dutch Masters theme. In collaboration with De Persgroep, we extended it into The Anatomy of Taste, a richly produced magazine inspired by Rembrandt’s handling of light and the lush still lifes of Pieter Bruegel and Rachel Ruysch. Master Brewer Gerard sat down with three Master Jenever Distillers to exchange methods, choices and views on flavour, giving fans a rare look into how great liquids are made.

Launch day is always held at the brewery in Arcen, and in 2019 it grew into a genuine gathering of fans. Attendance more than doubled, with over 3,000 beer lovers on site. Demand was so strong the event added a second day, which also filled to capacity. The momentum around the release brought broad exposure: free publicity, steady social attention, influencer coverage and lively word‑of‑mouth in beer communities. Sales followed suit, with the full Vatgerijpt collection selling out in one week. The Anatomy of Taste earned a lasting place too, becoming one of the few pieces of brand work selected for the Royal Library’s collection.