Bombay Sapphire
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Bombay Sapphire | |
|---|---|
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| Type | Gin |
| Alcohol by Volume | 47.0% |
| Proof | 94 |
| Manufacturer | Bombay Spirits Co., Ltd. |
| Distributor | Bacardi |
| Country of Origin | Hamilton, Bermuda |
| Introduced | 1987 |
| Colour | Clear |
| Related products | Bombay Original Dry |
Bombay Sapphire is a brand of gin distributed by Bacardi, launched in 1987, having been named via a competitive process whereby a number of leading Madison Avenue agencies were played off against each other. Bombay Sapphire is marketed in a flat-sided, sapphire-coloured bottle that bears a likeness of Queen Victoria on the label.
The name hints at the origins of gin's popularity in the British Raj. During their administration, the British took quinine in the form of tonic water to protect against malaria. This was mixed with gin in order to make a more pleasing and sociable drink of this medical necessity.
The flavoring of the drink comes from a recipe of ten ingredients: almond, lemon peel, licorice, juniper berries, orris root, angelica, coriander, cassia, cubeb, and grains of paradise. The spirit is triple distilled, and the alcohol vapours are passed through bundles of the herbs and spices in order to gain flavour and aroma. Then, water from Lake Vyrnwy is added.
[edit] Design Connection
In order to gain an air of avant-gardism and exclusivity, the brand started a series of design collaborations. Their first step into the design world was a series of advertisements featuring work from currently popular designers. Their works, varying from martini glasses to tiles and cloth patterns, are labeled as “inspired by Bombay Sapphire”. The campaign featured trendy designers in the likes of Marcel Wanders, Yves Behar and Karim Rashid.
From the success of this campaign, the company started a series of events and sponsored locations. The best known is the Bombay Sapphire Designer Glass Competition, held each year, where design students from all over the world can participate by designing their own “inspired” martini cocktail glass. The finalists (one from each participating country) are then invited to the yearly Salone del Mobile, an international design fair in Milano, where the winner is chosen.
Bombay Sapphire also endorses glass artists and designers with the Bombay Sapphire Prize, which is awarded every year to an outstanding design which features glass. The Bacardi company also showcases the designers' work in the Bombay Sapphire endorsed blue room, which is actually a design exhibition touring the world each year.
