Raissa: We are the twin co-founders of UK premium mixer and tonic brand Double Dutch. We were born and raised in the Netherlands, the birthplace of gin, where our family loved to throw parties! They regularly imported different spirits and we enjoyed experimenting and creating our own bespoke mixers.
Joyce: At university, while we were getting our Masters, we started developing our own mixers at parties for friends and noticed that although the craft alcohol market was growing, the same couldn’t be said for flavourful mixers. That’s how our idea for Double Dutch came about, and we launched straight out of Uni in 2015, with our debut mixers ‘Pomegranate & Basil’ and ‘Cucumber & Watermelon’.
Raissa: One of the best things about our job is that we work in an industry that we love and with amazing and creative people! It’s great to be able to create our own mixers and see people out and about drinking them. And if there’s a little gin in there at the end of the day, we are not averse to that either! Molecular mixology is also one of our passions – it’s a process that involves mixing and matching aromas profiles, which results in unique and delicious flavour combinations.
Joyce: We also really enjoy working together. Getting to work with my twin is one of the best and easiest parts of my job as it’s great to have someone to honestly and openly discuss ideas with. When you work with your twin, you don’t worry about stepping on one another’s toes - you say what you feel. And if you don’t agree, you know in 10 mins that you’ll either makeup or find a solution. It’s nice to celebrate the good times together and lift each other up through the difficult times.
Raissa: Tokyo has such a vibrant cocktail scene, and as we are currently seeing more culinary flavours come into cocktails, it would be a great place to explore and get inspired!
Joyce: London, definitely! We moved here to study at UCL and never left. London’s restaurant and bar scene is exploding with an abundance of innovation taking place. There’s a science to creating the best match of ingredients and tastes, so we’re always putting our noses and taste buds to good use and exploring what’s new in the city.
Raissa: There is nothing we find more relaxing than spending time in the sun! A great beach party on a sunny day with all our friends and family can’t be beaten.
Joyce: Absolutely! Time for everyone to chill out and unwind on a blissfully warm beach with a good drink in hand is definitely one of my favourite places to be.
Raissa: There are so many people that inspire us in the bar industry. Anna Sebastian, Manager of the Artesian Bar, is one of the best in the business at the moment and her support of women in the drinks industry is something we admire. In fact, we have just launched a scholarship and mentoring programme to help support, train and empower aspiring female mixologists.
Joyce: We’re also always on the lookout to see what Tony Conigliaro, founder of Drink Factory, creates next. His pioneering work in drink creation, as well as his approach in using culinary elements and blending them with the art of play is truly amazing.
Raissa: Gin was first made in the Netherlands, and so of course it will always be our favourite!
Joyce: At the moment, we’re loving all the new flavoured gins coming to market, such as pink gins, and cocktails that are more minimalist - sometimes less it more!
Joyce: I love a Negroni topped with our Pomegranate & Basil – perfect at the end of a long day.
Raissa: We might be biased, but we can’t go wrong with our Double Lemon mixer. It’s just cleansing and uplifting enough to sort us out in the morning!
Booze hounds