The Bols family started the production of liqueurs in a small Amsterdam distillery called 't Lootsje.

Lucas Bols, the grandson of the founder, was born in. When he, in 1700, became a major shareholder in the Dutch East India trading company, he had the privilege of first choice of newly arrived exotic herbs and spices, which helped him to create over 300 liqueur and spirit recipes. It was him who then also started to ship the Bols liqueurs all over the world. Lucas bols died in 1719 leaving a legacy that still lives on today.

The Bols family started the distillation of the famous Dutch genever made from long fermented rye, wheat and corn.

Bols developed a revolutionary new genever recipe with a more subtle flavour. This new Bols Genever was shipped to the United States and played an important role in the cocktail revolution. In the world's first cocktail recipe book, written in 1862 by bartender Jerry Thomas, one in four cocktails was made with genever.

From 1883 Bols started maturing genevers. These genevers are aged on French Limousin oak casks. This aged genever inspired the Bols Genever Barrel Aged recipe, which was relaunched internationally in 2010.