We recently had the great pleasure of being invited to the 250th anniversary of the legendary Bombay Sapphire brand of spirits, a unique moment in a charming Laperouse establishment. Here are a few lines on the history of this suprising brand.
Bombay Sapphire, a legendary gin that marked a turning point in the history of this spirit.
Created by Thomas Dakin, its recipe has remained a secret since 1761. Two hundred and fifty years of mystery for this gin resulting from a unique distillation process involving the infusion of ten spices by alcohol vapors. An original blend, Bombay Sapphire is not only appreciated by the most demanding gin connoisseurs, but has also conquered the hearts of cocktail lovers.
This unprecedented success is due above all to the genius of Thomas Dakin. This young master distiller was just 24 years old when he created a unique recipe, “Warrington Gin”, and set up shop in Warrington, his hometown in England. The quality of this smooth, refined
gin enabled him to compete with French imports of the time. But it wasn’t until the middle of the 20th century that Bombay Original was born. Allan Subin, importer of premium American whisky, was looking for a pure, traditional gin that would go perfectly with Martini. Inspired by Thomas Dakin’s recipe, he created the Bombay Spirit Company.
After finding the ideal recipe, he chose the image of Queen Victoria to cover the bottle and the exotic name Bombay, recalling the days of the British Raj, when Queen Victoria
ruled as Empress of India. The Bombay Original was born.
In the 1980s, gin was overshadowed by the fresh, new image of vodka. Michel Roux, the U.S. importer of Bombay Original, came up with the idea of modifying the recipe and bottle design. After two years of research, he added two new ingredients (Paradiso seeds and Cubeb berries) to create a complex, aromatic liquid.
As for the bottle, the new design was inspired by India, known for its wealth
of precious stones, perfectly reflecting the prestigious, exotic qualities of the new gin.
The famous “Star of Bombay”, a 182-carat sapphire, undoubtedly the most beautiful found, is said to have inspired the brand. An immediate success, Bombay Sapphire gin conquered the bartender’s cocktails. Even today, Bombay Sapphire is the only spirits brand in the world to have the privilege of featuring the image of the English monarchy on its packaging.
Thanks to its ten spices, Bombay Sapphire offers a veritable world tour of flavours in one cocktail or one glass.
Tonight, we had the immense pleasure of discovering the 250-year cocktail invented by Aurélie Panhelleux. Winner of the Bacardi-Martini Grand Prix, Aurélie Panhelleux was selected to create Bombay Sapphire’s anniversary cocktail. This passionate young bartender recently joined
the Forvm team. From this Parisian cocktail bar institution, she drew inspiration and revealed a spicy glass, to which is added the herbaceous freshness of Benedictine,
of Cranberry, and a hint of Plum. A veritable explosion of the senses!
In a shaker:
– 4 cl Bombay Sapphire gin – 1 cl Benedictine
– 1 cl cranberry juice – 3 dash bitter plum
Alcohol abuse is dangerous for your health.
Drink in moderation.
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