🥃 Bombay Sapphire
English London dry gin of the Bacardi group: the spirit takes up the aroma of ten botanicals as vapour during distillation; made at Laverstoke (Hampshire) since 2014.
Bombay Sapphire is an English London dry gin of the Bacardi group. Its aroma comes from ten botanicals through which the spirit vapour passes during distillation; the label calls this method “Vapour Infused”. Since 2014 the gin has been distilled at the former Laverstoke paper mill in Hampshire. The strength is 40 or 47% ABV depending on the market.
The brand was launched in the 1980s by the British company International Distillers & Vintners: Wikipedia gives 1986, other sources 1987. It was a more expensive version of Bombay Dry Gin. In 1997 Diageo, of which IDV was then part, sold the brand to Bacardi; today the gin is made by its subsidiary Bombay Spirits Company. For a long time Bombay Sapphire was distilled under contract by G&J Greenall in Warrington, and in 2014 its own distillery opened at Laverstoke, with glasshouses where the plants from the recipe are grown. The name alludes to the gin and tonic of British India, and the blue bottle with a portrait of Queen Victoria became the brand's recognisable trait. The label also says “from a 1761 recipe”.
The ten botanicals in the recipe are juniper, lemon peel, grains of paradise (melegueta seeds), coriander, cubeb, orris root, almond, cassia bark, liquorice and angelica. They are not steeped in the spirit but placed in perforated copper baskets inside the still: the rising spirit vapour picks up their aromatic oils. Under EU rules the London Dry Gin designation means that all the aroma is obtained by distillation, with no colourings and a minimum of sugar.
In the range, besides the classic gin, there are Bombay Sapphire East (with lemongrass and black pepper), Star of Bombay and the berry Bombay Bramble; Bombay Original Dry is a related gin with eight botanicals.
Why this matters to you. “Bombay” in the name does not mean India: the gin is made in England. “London Dry” is a method of production, not a city. The strength varies (40% in Europe, 47% in the US and duty free), so check the label. The WHO reminds us that no level of alcohol consumption is safe.
Facts
| Year founded | 1986 or 1987 (IDV), sources differ; Bacardi since 1997 |
|---|---|
| Raw material | neutral spirit; 10 botanicals: juniper, lemon peel, grains of paradise, coriander, cubeb, orris root, almond, cassia, liquorice, angelica |
| Distillation method | vapour infusion: botanicals in copper baskets inside the still |
| Alcohol (% vol.) | 40% ABV (Europe); 47% ABV (US, duty free) |
| EU category | 22: London gin |
| Legal basis | Reg. (EU) 2019/787, Annex I, category 22 (London gin) |
How it connects to Spirits
🥃 Bombay Sapphire → 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
- 🍸 Gin and juniper spirits, 🍸 London gin
- Related to
- 🌍 Western Europe
- Similar and different
- 🍸 Distilled gin, 🍸 Gin
Frequently asked questions
Is it true that Bombay Sapphire is made in India?
No. The gin is distilled at Laverstoke in Hampshire, England. The name merely alludes to the gin and tonic of British India.
What does “Vapour Infused” on the label mean?
The botanicals are not steeped in the spirit: they are placed in copper baskets inside the still, and the spirit vapour passes through them, picking up aromatic oils.
Which botanicals go into Bombay Sapphire?
Ten: juniper, lemon peel, grains of paradise, coriander, cubeb, orris root, almond, cassia bark, liquorice and angelica.
How strong is Bombay Sapphire?
40% ABV in the United Kingdom, parts of Europe, Canada and Australia; 47% ABV in the US and in duty-free shops.
Who owns Bombay Sapphire?
The Bacardi group, since 1997; the gin is made by its subsidiary Bombay Spirits Company.
What to read next
- 🍷 Alcohol and health — Alcohol in any drink is harmful in large amounts, and the risks grow with the quantity.
- 🍷 Wine label — The sticker on a bottle: who made it, where from, the year and strength.
- 🍷 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
🥃 Drambuie · 🥃 Lagavulin · 🥃 Laphroaig · 🥃 Johnnie Walker · 🥃 Chivas Regal · 🥃 Grey Goose
⚠️ 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
- BevNET: Bombay Sapphire opens state-of-the-art gin distillery at Laverstoke Mill (1 October 2014; vapour infusion; 10 botanicals)
- Page & Sons: Bombay Sapphire (super-premium version of Bombay Dry Gin; sale to Bacardi; produced by Greenall's before Laverstoke)
- Whisky.com: Bombay Sapphire distillery (Bombay Spirits Company, Bacardi; Laverstoke Mill)
- Systembolaget: Bombay Sapphire London Dry Gin
- Wikipedia: Bombay Sapphire (IDV 1986; Bacardi 1997; Laverstoke Mill; carterhead still; 10 botanicals; 40 % / 47 %; Queen Victoria on label) — допоміжне
- Regulation (EU) 2019/787 on spirit drinks (OJ L 130, 17.5.2019), Art. 2 and Annex I
- WHO/Europe: No level of alcohol consumption is safe for our health (04.01.2023)