🥃 Bombay Sapphire Gin
The core gin of the Bombay Sapphire brand: ten botanicals, vapour infusion; strength depends on the market.
Bombay Sapphire Gin is the main version of the English Bombay Sapphire gin, sold in the blue bottle. Its aroma comes from ten botanicals through which the alcohol vapour passes. According to Difford's Guide, the standard strength is 40% ABV, while the brand's US page gives 47% ABV; it depends on the market.
The botanicals are not boiled in the spirit: they are suspended above it in perforated copper baskets. Difford's Guide names the ten botanicals: juniper from Tuscany, coriander, angelica root, liquorice, Italian orris, cassia bark, Spanish almond, lemon peel, grains of paradise and cubeb berries. Since 2014 the gin has been distilled at Laverstoke Mill in Hampshire; the brand belongs to Bacardi.
Why this matters for you. This is the base line: East and Bramble are built on it, while Bombay Dry is a separate and older gin of the brand. Under EU rules a London gin contains no colourings, and sweeteners are limited to 0.1 g per litre. The strength varies by market, so check the label. The WHO reminds us that there is no safe level of alcohol consumption.
Facts
| Year founded | secret recipe from 1761 (according to the brand); Laverstoke Mill since 2014 |
|---|---|
| Legal basis | Reg. (EU) 2019/787, Annex I, category 22 (London gin) |
| EU category | 22 — London gin (category rules) |
| Raw material | 10 botanicals: juniper, coriander, angelica, liquorice, orris, cassia, almond, lemon peel, cubeb, grains of paradise |
| Distillation method | vapour infusion: botanicals in perforated copper baskets above the spirit |
| Alcohol (% vol.) | 40% ABV (Difford's Guide); 47% ABV (brand page for the USA) |
How it connects to Spirits
🥃 Bombay Sapphire Gin → kind of → 🍸 Gin and juniper spirits → kind of → 🥃 Spirits
Links
- Packed in
- 🍷 Wine label
- What it contains
- 🍷 Ethanol
- What it affects
- 🍷 Alcohol and health, 🍷 Drunk driving
- Traditions
- 🧑🤝🧑 British
- Part of
- 🥃 Bombay Sapphire, 🍸 Gin and juniper spirits, 🍸 Gin, 🍸 London gin
- Related to
- 🌍 Western Europe
- Similar and different
- 🥃 Bombay Bramble, 🥃 Bombay Dry Gin, 🥃 Bombay Sapphire East, 🥃 Bombay Bramble, 🥃 Bombay Dry Gin, 🥃 Bombay Sapphire East, 🍸 Distilled gin, 🥃 Tanqueray, 🥃 Beefeater, 🥃 Tanqueray London Dry
Frequently asked questions
Is it true that Bombay Sapphire is an Indian gin?
No. According to the brand, it is distilled at Laverstoke Mill in Hampshire, England.
What is the strength of Bombay Sapphire?
40% ABV according to Difford's Guide; 47% ABV on the brand's US page. Check the label for your market.
How many botanicals are in Bombay Sapphire?
Ten, according to Bacardi and Difford's Guide; some variants of the range, such as East, use more.
What to read next
- 🥃 Bombay Bramble — A Bombay Sapphire gin infused with blackberry and raspberry, with no added sugar; strength depends on the market.
- 🍷 Alcohol and health — Alcohol in any drink is harmful in large amounts, and the risks grow with the quantity.
- 🍷 Ethanol — The alcohol formed during fermentation that makes you drunk.
- 🌍 Western Europe — France, the Netherlands, Britain, Ireland, Belgium and Luxembourg: a mild, moist climate, pastures and hundreds of cheeses such as Roquefort, Camembert, Gouda and Cheddar.
- 🧑🤝🧑 British — People of Great Britain; their protected West Country Cheddar matures for at least 9 months, and tea is drunk with milk.
Similar
🥃 Bombay Dry Gin · 🥃 Bombay Sapphire East · 🥃 Bombay Bramble · 🥃 Beefeater Crown Jewel · 🥃 Chivas Regal 18 Year Old Gold Signature · 🥃 Chivas Regal 25 Year Old
⚠️ Spirit drinks contain alcohol and are for adults only. Alcohol harms health. Do not drink during pregnancy or before driving; check the label for ingredients and possible allergens.
Sources
- Difford's Guide: Bombay Sapphire (40 %; ten botanicals; vapour infusion)
- Bombay Sapphire: Bombay Sapphire Gin product page (10 botanicals, vapour infused, 47 % in the US)
- Bacardi Limited: Bombay Sapphire range, nutritional information (ABV by product)
- Bombay Sapphire: Our story (Laverstoke Mill, Hampshire; Vapour Infusion)
- Regulation (EU) 2019/787, Annex I (categories 15, 20-22, 31; legislation.gov.uk)
- World Health Organization: Alcohol fact sheet