Bombay Sapphire

Bombay Sapphire
Type Gin
Manufacturer Bombay Spirits Co., Ltd.
Distributor Bacardi
Country of origin England
Introduced 1987
Alcohol by volume 40% (UK, Canada, Australia)
47% (US & Export)
Proof (US) 80 (UK, Canada, Australia)
94 (US & Export)
Colour Clear
Related products Bombay Original Dry
Website bombaysapphire.com

Bombay Sapphire is a brand of gin that was first launched in 1987 by IDV. In 1997 Diageo sold the brand to Bacardi.[1] Its name originates from gin's popularity in India during the British Raj and the sapphire in question is the Star of Bombay on display at the Smithsonian Institution.[2] Bombay Sapphire is marketed in a flat-sided, sapphire-coloured bottle that bears a picture of Queen Victoria on the label.[2]

The flavouring of the drink comes from a recipe of ten ingredients: almond, lemon peel, liquorice, juniper berries, orris root, angelica, coriander, cassia, cubeb, and grains of paradise. The spirit is triple distilled using a carterhead still, and the alcohol vapours are passed through a mesh/basket containing the ten botanicals, in order to gain flavour and aroma. This is felt to give the gin a lighter, more floral taste compared to those gins that are distilled using a copper pot still. Water from Lake Vyrnwy is added to bring the strength of Bombay Sapphire down to 40.0% (UK, Canada, Australia).

Production

Laverstoke Mill
Glasshouses by Thomas Heatherwick for growing the botanicals

In 2011, plans were announced to move the manufacturing process to a new facility in Laverstoke, Hampshire, including the restoration of the former Portal's paper mill at the proposed site, and the construction of a visitor centre.[3]

Planning permission was granted in February 2012, and the centre opened to the public in the autumn of 2014.[4][5] The visitor centre included a new construction by Thomas Heatherwick of two glasshouses for plants used as botanicals in the production of Bombay Sapphire gin.[6]

Production and bottling of the drink is contracted out by Bacardi to G&J Greenall.[7]

Varieties

Bacardi also markets Bombay Original London Dry Gin (or Bombay Original Dry). Eight botanical ingredients are used in the production of the Original Dry Gin variety as opposed to the ten in Bombay Sapphire. Wine Enthusiast preferred Bombay Sapphire.[8]

In September 2011, Bombay Sapphire East was launched in test markets in New York and Las Vegas. This variety has another two botanicals, lemongrass and black peppercorns, in addition to the original ten. It is bottled at 42% and was designed to counteract the sweetness of American tonic water.

A Special edition of Bombay Gin called Bombay Star was produced in 2015 for the UK Market. It is bottled at 47.5% and is distilled from grain.

Design connection

The brand started a series of design collaborations. Their first step into the design world was a series of advertisements featuring work from currently popular designers. Their works, varying from martini glasses to tiles and cloth patterns, are labelled as “Inspired by Bombay Sapphire”. The campaign featured designers such as Marcel Wanders, Yves Behar, Karim Rashid, Ulla Darni, and Dror Benshetrit and performance artist Jurgen Hahn.

From the success of this campaign, the company began a series of events and sponsored locations. The best known is the Bombay Sapphire Designer Glass Competition, held each year, where design students from all over the world can participate by designing their own “inspired” martini cocktail glass. The finalists (one from each participating country) are then invited to the yearly Salone del Mobile, an international design fair in Milano, where the winner is chosen.

Bombay Sapphire also endorses glass artists and designers with the Bombay Sapphire Prize, which is awarded every year to an outstanding design which features glass. Bombay Sapphire also showcases the designers' work in the Bombay Sapphire endorsed blue room, which is actually a design exhibition touring the world each year.

From 2008 the Bombay Sapphire Designer Glass Competition final will be held at 100% Design in London, UK and the Bombay Sapphire Prize will take place in Milan at the Salone Del Mobile.

Evaluation

Bombay Sapphire has been reviewed by several outside spirit ratings organizations to mixed success. Recently, it was awarded a score of 92 (on a 100-point scale) from the Beverage Testing Institute. Ratings aggregator Proof66.com categorizes the Sapphire as a Tier 2 spirit, indicating highly favourable "expert" reviews.[9]

Cultural References

American musician Robert Earl Keen references "a quart of Bombay gin" in the song "The road goes on forever".

References

  1. ↑ http://www.grovesandwhitnall.co.uk/gj-distillers-warrington/
  2. 1 2 Bombay Sapphire
  3. ↑ "Gin firm's tonic for historic mill (From Andover Advertiser)". Andoveradvertiser.co.uk. 2011-05-13. Retrieved 2012-10-04.
  4. ↑ "Gintime Lowdown with Will Brix". gintime.com. 23 October 2013. Retrieved 15 January 2014.
  5. ↑ A first glimpse of the Bombay Sapphire distillery Gintime 19 September 2014,
  6. ↑ "Bombay Sapphire Distillery, Laverstoke, UK". Heatherwick Studio. Heatherwick Studio. Retrieved 5 November 2016.
  7. ↑ Richard Haffner. "G&J Greenall eyes acquisitions, plots ad spend". Just-drinks.com. Retrieved 2012-10-04.
  8. ↑ Bombay Original London Dry Gin listing on Proof66: http://www.proof66.com/gin/bombay-original-gin.html
  9. ↑ Bombay Sapphire listing on Proof66: http://www.proof66.com/gin/bombay-sapphire.html

External links

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