“Holland Gin” is what we call “jenever”. The question of who invented gin, translates to the question whether jenever is actually gin, or a precursor to gin. Which is probably a matter of etymology, as jenever and gin both derive their name from the juniper berry, which was added to the earlier ‘malt wine’ in an attempt to make it somewhat palatable. Nor a very successful attempt imho, but that’s a matter of taste.
If the Dutch would be the winners, it’s definitely not because they don’t drink it… it’s always enjoyed a certain popularity here, though nowadays mainly with elderly people. I happen to live in the jenever capital of the world, the city of Schiedam. A century ago, everything here revolved around the production of jenever. Appalling living conditions, black smoke from the distilleries, cheap alcohol readily available… well, you get the picture.
Similar to the English, the Dutch readily employed their jenever in their own colonial efforts. In West Africa, where the Dutch maintained a presence until the 1870’s, Schiedam jenever is still quite popular and is used in rituals to get in touch with the ancestors. I suppose that would work, provided you drink a lot of it.