Schelvispekel is the oldest fishermen's drink sold in the Netherlands. Its origin lies in the 17th century when fishermen from Vlaardingen (South Holland) made their own drink on board in the North Sea. They had traded the Schelvis with the spices from the VOC ships returning from India. They let the spices steep in the brandy and thus had their own strong drink against the bitter cold. In the 17th century, this herbal bitter did not yet have a name. Where does the name "Schelvispekel" come from? It tastes neither like fish nor like salt. When the fishermen returned to shore after fishing in the North Sea, they were greeted by their wives. They wondered why their husbands so often went down to their cutter. To avoid suspicion, the fishermen said: "the Schelvis is in the brine"! And so the fishermen could continue to distill and drink their own Schelvispekel undisturbed on their cutters for centuries.
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