Gin with a twist (of lemon)

It's not easy to keep hold of a recipe that dates back almost 340 years. And it is not easy to sell off a brand only on those lines. Bombay Sapphire, a gin, launched in 1987, is allegedly made from a long-lost recipe dating back to 1761.

The brand's main pulling point, however, apart from its distinctive taste, is its design-led square blue bottle depicting Queen Victoria, former Empress of India.

Jamie Walker, global brand ambassador for Bombay Sapphire and world famous mixologist was in New Delhi recently to talk more about the brand.

Says Walker, "It is not easy to have a gin which has been made from 10 botanicals and still have a distinctive taste." Walker says that bartenders like to make their job seem harder than it is. "Snobbery dictates that drinks can be made only in a certain way. Not so. The ingredients have to be respected."

Which is where Bombay Sapphire stands apart from the rest of the pack. It has ten ingredients (almond, lemon peel, orris, juniper berries and coriander among others), and all of them are from different countries. For instance, the juniper berries are from Italy and the coriander is from Morocco. 
 

APRIL'S VIOLET RECIPE

1 1/2 oz Bombay Sapphire gin

2 tsp Blue Curacao liqueur

3 drops grenadine syrup

Pour the gin, blue curacao and grenadine into a mixing glass half-filled with ice cubes. Stir well. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass, and serve.

BLUE MOON MARTINI

1 1/2 oz Bombay Sapphire gin

3/4 oz Blue Curacao liqueur

Shake with ice and strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with a twist of lemon.

BREAKFAST MARTINI RECIPE

1 1/2 oz Bombay Sapphire gin

3/4 oz fresh lemon juice

3/4 oz Cointreau orange liqueur

1 tsp light mlade

Shake ingredients with ice and strain into a chilled martini glass. Garnish with a piece of a slice of toast.

ELDERFLOWER MARTINI RECIPE

1 oz elderflower cordial

1 oz Bombay Sapphire gin

1 oz Cinzano dry vermouth

1/2 oz lime juice

Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker half-filled with ice cubes. Shake until very chilled; serve immediately.

Says Walker, "It is a brand of gin that is mainly used for making cocktails"" especially the classic martini." For instance, if you have a vodka-based cocktail, you will get a distinctive flavour of vodka.

But if you have a Bombay Sapphire-based cocktail, you will not feel that way, he claims.

The brand name is quite misleading and one might think that it has a strong Indian connection. Well, that is not true. Its only connection with India is that gin was the tipple of choice swilled by generations of British colonials.

Yet curiously, none of this takes away from Bombay Sapphire's appeal. What counts is that the fusion of ideas works stylistically, elevating it into something more interesting than just another gin brand.

Says Walker, "There's a healthy tension between the heritage cues on the bottle and its sleek, contemporary appearance. People find it intriguing." He adds, "Part of it is about discovery, allowing the consumer to do the interpretation rather than telling them what to think."

As mentioned, Bombay Sapphire is largely used for mixing cocktails, and Walker says that his personal favourite cocktails keep changing. His current favourites include fresh apple and ginger martini.

But his all-time favourite is the Bombay Sapphire classic martini coctail with a twist. "It is just a cocktail with the right blend, and the taste of Bombay Sapphire makes it even better."