Bombay Sapphire Gin

Volume: 0.7 litres | Alcohol content: 40% | Colouring: No

Special Features:

Bombay Sapphire gains its aromas through vapour infusion rather than by steeping and boiling the botanicals in the spirit. Alcohol vapour passes through perforated copper baskets holding the plant ingredients, picking up their essential oils before being condensed back into liquid.

The recipe combines juniper, lemon peel, coriander seeds, orris root, angelica root, bitter almonds, liquorice, cassia, cubeb pepper and grains of paradise. Cubeb pepper from Java and West African grains of paradise are among its distinctive spicy ingredients. This London Dry Gin is bottled at 40% alcohol in its recognisable blue bottle containing 0.7 litres. It can be enjoyed, for example, in a Gin & Tonic or a Tom Collins.

Tasting Notes:

• Nose: On the nose, juniper and lemon peel mingle with the sweet-tart filling of a lemon meringue tart. Black and white pepper and Indian spices accompany these aromas, with a faint vegetal note adding another touch.
• Palate: The gin opens delicately on the palate, light and slightly sweet, with restrained juniper, lemon peel and coriander. Strong pepper and chilli heat then emerge alongside notes of cooked vegetables.
• Finish: Pine-like juniper and a blend of peppery spices linger on the finish. A hint of lavender complements the spicy aftertaste.

Distillery/Bottler:

Bombay Sapphire is based on a recipe dating from 1761. The Bombay Sapphire Distillery is located at Laverstoke Mill in Hampshire, England. Paper for banknotes was made on this historic site for more than two centuries. Following its restoration, the distillery also opened its doors to visitors in October 2014. Two intertwined glasshouses, designed with Thomas Heatherwick and his studio, showcase the plants behind the ten botanicals.

The distillery uses neutral wheat spirit for distillation. The botanicals are layered by hand in the copper baskets, with larger ingredients forming the base and powdered ingredients placed above them. Staff determine the transitions between heads, hearts and tails by assessing samples by smell, while the computer system monitors the process. Production thus combines technical process control with sensory decisions at the still.

Facts: