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I find this pretty boozy for limited taste/complexity. Any ideas on how to punch things up w/o adding more alcohol to the equation?

This was a very good cocktail. We had it before dinner and it worked perfectly. Great colour and very spirit forward. Sugar syrup does add a hint of sweetness.

'Oude' doesn't mean a genever is old, it means it is old style rather than young style (jonje). Oude genevers have more flavoursome moutwijn (malt wine) than jounge genevers. Aged genevers are called 'gerijpt' genevers. I’m not a huge fan of Bols Genever in cocktails but I do very much like their Bokma Oude which is closer to Rutte Old Simon.

That is great, Simon, thank you for the amended recipe and for the original.
Do you have any feelings on the difference using Bols Genever makes compared to using Rutte Old Simon Genever?
Also, I see that you classify Rutte Old Simon Genever as an Oude (old) Genever, but I thought that Rutte Old Simon Genever was unaged, like the Bols Genever (in the smoked glass bottle)? Wouldn't this make the Rutte Old Simon Genever a "Jonge" (or young) Genever or am I missing something?
Great website BTW.

Hmmm. I'm not sure if the spoon refers to a tea spoon (5ml) or an IBA bar spoon (2.5ml).
I think using a tea spoon of sugar syrup has made it a bit too sweet for my taste. I'll have to try with a bar spoon next time.
Also, I only have Bols Genever (in the smoked glass bottle) so that may make a difference.
As a home cocktail person, there are only so many different bottles I can justify having!