The history of ''Lucas Bols'' company began in 1575, when the Bols family arrived in Amsterdam and founded a winery, which was originally called het Lootsje, where they would distill liqueurs and also genevers from 1664 onwards. This was the starting point of what would become the world's oldest distilled spirits brand. In 1652, Lucas Bols was born. He was an influential businessman, living in the Golden Age, when Amsterdam was the world’s major trading city. Lucas Bols managed to turn Bols into an international brand and greatly expanded the range of liqueurs. After years of prosperity the last male member of the Bols family died in 1816. The widow of the last male Bols heir sold the company on the condition that the Bols name would be used in perpetuity on all its products, thereby ensuring its status as the world’s oldest distilled spirits brand. For centuries, the company's secret recipes were passed down from father to son, but in 1816 the family had to sell the company, setting one important condition: the Bols name would forever remain associated with the winery. Today, Lucas Bols is an independent company with products sold in more than 110 countries, the company owns the largest database of gourmet cocktail recipes, many of which are made using Bols.