Bombay

Bombay

The recipe for Bombay Sapphire dates back to 1761, when Thomas Dakin founded a distillery in Warrington and laid the foundation for one of the most legendary gins in the world. The roots in the colonial era of the British Empire, with the birth of the Gin & Tonic and the triumph of the long drink in India, resonate in the name and are reflected in the luminous blue of the iconic bottle, though the name Bombay Sapphire itself is of considerably more recent origin, having been developed in 1987 by New York advertisers as a new brand built around the original recipe.

At the heart of Bombay Sapphire is the unique vapour infusion method that sets the brand apart from every other gin in the world. While conventional gins steep their botanicals directly in the spirit, the wonderfully soft and distinctive character of Bombay Sapphire is created through vapour infusion in the original Carterhead stills Tom and Mary from the 1830s, with ten hand-selected botanicals from around the world – from juniper berries and coriander to angelica root and liquorice – gently and authentically releasing their delicate character into the gin.

Since 2014, Bombay Sapphire has been distilled at the magnificently restored Laverstoke Mill in Hampshire, where a team of 14 distillers works under the guidance of Master Distiller Dr. Anne Brock with a consistent commitment to ecological and sustainable practices, with the exotic botanicals from around the world also cultivated in dedicated glasshouses on the estate – a living and fascinating monument to British gin craftsmanship that has made Bombay Sapphire one of the world's best-selling and most renowned premium gins.