Once crowned “the Magic Blue”, Bombay Sapphire is one of the world’s best-selling gins today. It’s a name worth remembering for any gin-lover, and here’s why.

What is Bombay Sapphire?

Bombay Sapphire is a best-selling gin-brand that is known for its iconic pillar-shaped, sleek blue bottle. The gin brand is produced in Laverstoke Mill in England, under the supervision of Master of Botanicals Ivano Tonutti. The classic recipe draws on ten different botanicals, including: almond, lemon peel, liquorice, juniper berries, orris root, angelica, coriander, cassia, cubeb and grains of paradise. Bombay Sapphire uses vapor infusion to distill its gin, a process that the brand credits for giving its gins a characteristically light and delicate profile, with a citrusy and spicy balance.

The brand was first started in 1960 by a businessman Allan Subin, who contracted the Greenall Distillery to help produce Bombay Sapphire. It was later sold to I.D.V. (which later became Daigeo) in the 1980s, before it was finally sold to Bacardi in 1997. 

The Star of Bombay: Origins of the Name and the Bottle

Perhaps the name is a bit misleading, but a common misperception of Bombay Sapphire is that it is produced in India. In actuality, Bombay Sapphire gin has been and continues to be distilled in England. 

The 182-carat Star of Bombay, on display at the Smithsonian Museum (Image source: the Smithsonian)

Why then is the brand called Bombay Sapphire? Well, “Bombay” – referring to the Indian city - was inspired by the days of the British Raj in India, during which the gin and tonic was popularized by the Royal Indian Armed Forces. Meanwhile, “Sapphire” was a reference to the extremely rare and extremely valuable Star of Bombay, a 182-carat violet-blue sapphire that was mined from Sri Lanka. The creator of Bombay Sapphire, Allan Subin wanted his gin to exude aspirational 1920s refinement, and hence combined these two inspirations in the naming of the brand.  

However, you might be surprised to know that the very first bottles of Bombay Sapphire that were sold did not have its now-distinctive blue tint! It wasn't until the late 1980s that the Bombay Sapphire bottles were re-vitalised and re-designed to the Star of Bombay’s iconic sapphire blue colour - a move that owners certainly did not regret! 

How It’s Made: Pioneering the Use of Vapor Infusion In Gin Production

Through the ages: A 1970s-era poster of Bombay Gin vs a 2000s-era poster of Bombay Gin.

While Bombay Sapphire was officially launched in 1960, the innovative history of its production actually extends far back to the late 18^th century.

In 1760, a young distiller called Thomas Dakin developed a gin recipe that included the use of juniper berries, coriander seeds, angelica root, bitter almond, cassia bark, liquorice root, lemon peel and orris root. While many of these botanicals are ubiquitous in gin production today. At that time, this was a significant step up from the standardized gins being produced in Britain – which had gained notoriety for its poor quality during the Gin Craze of the early 18^th century.

Dakin established the Greenall Distillery to sell his original gin recipe, which he later passed down to his son. After his death, his son and daughter-in-law sought to make new advancements in Greenall’s gin production process. They first purchased a Corty Head Still, and later on a Carterhead Still, which helped to produce a cleaner spirit stripped of unwanted impurities.

They say innovation is often borne out of necessity. And it certainly was the case for Greenall Distillery’s invention of the vapour infusion method.

Because a Carterhead Still consists of a rounded pot still with an extended column with perforated plates on top of it, this meant that even if the distillery added botanicals directly to the spirit at the base of the pot, the flavors of the botanicals would nonetheless be neutralized as the spirit travelled up the column. To circumvent this issue, the Greenall distillery came up with the idea of adding gin baskets – which were meshed copper containers holding the botanicals – in a separate chamber following the column. That way, as the steam vapors rise and pass through the gin basket during distillation, it gently captures the botanicals' aroma compounds, which it condenses and infuses these newly picked up aromas into the final gin spirit.

The Greenall’s use of vapour infusion and their traditional botanical recipe caught Subin’s eye, and it was the Greenall Distillery that Subin approached to produce what would become the first Bombay Dry Gin expression launched in 1960.

The Carterhead Stills at Bombay Sapphire's current distillery in Laverstoke Mill. (Image source: Bombay Sapphire)

Up til today, Bombay Sapphire continues to be produced via its trademark vapor infusion method using the original Carterhead Stills that was used in the original Greenall Distillery since the 1830s. According to the brand, the use of vapor infusion remains key in ensuring the final gin product remains well-balanced, delicate and gently aromatic.

Marketing the Martini: The Bombay Sapphire Designer Glass Competitions

From left to right, Bombay-inspired martini glasses designed by Richard Jolley, Stephen Dweck and Andree Putman. (Image source: Bombay Sapphire)

While the brand has been around for a long time, what continues to make Bombay Sapphire relevant in modern times is its use of creative and consumer-oriented marketing. A case in point is the Bombay Sapphire Designer Glass Competition that became a well-watched event for gin lovers and designers alike.

Capitalising on the popular association of its sleek, translucent blue glassed bottles with the notion of elegance and luxury, Bombay Sapphire launched a Martini Glass campaign in the 1990s. The brand collaborated with legendary designers Richard Jolley, Stephen Dweck, and Andree Putman to create their own Bombay-inspired designs for the martini glass, drawing on the hype generated by a slew of James Bond movies during that time.

From left to right, Bombay-inspired martini glasses designed by Vladimir Kagan, Karim Rashid and Yves Behar. (Image source: Bombay Sapphire)

The campaign was so well-received that Bombay Sapphire doubled down in the 2000s, commissioning other famous designers like Marcel Wanders, Yves Behar, Karim Rashid, Ulla Darni and Dror Benshetrit to each design their own martini glass in complementary style to the Bombay Sapphire bottle.

The company then launched the annual Bombay Sapphire Designer Glass Competition, which invites design students from across the world to try their hand at designing their own martini glass. It’s a genius branding move, furthering the brand’s association with the refinement and elegance of glass design.

A Gem of A Gin

Is Bombay Sapphire as valuable as the Star of Bombay itself in all its 182-carat glory?

Maybe, maybe not. The exact financial valuations of both the brand and the gem are beyond this author’s pay grade to know! But what is pretty indisputable is that Bombay Sapphire has become a gin that balances a rare combination of game-changing design and production innovation. So the next time you’re walking past the alcohol aisle, be sure to stop and admire this gem on the shelf.
 

Happy sipping! 

@lotusroot518