The new Bombay Sapphire distillery will open on October 1 as a destination for consumers and the trade to learn about the gin and enjoy cocktails.
The Bombay Spirits Company has announced the public opening of the distillery in Laverstoke Mill in Hampshire as it completes the multimillion-pound restoration of a mill dating back to the 10th century.
The redevelopment, led by top designer Thomas Heatherwick and his team at Heatherwick Studio, includes a new structure to complement the natural beauty of the two-hectare site: two intertwining Botanical Glasshouses – one tropical, one temperate – designed to showcase examples of the 10 botanicals sourced from around the world for Bombay Sapphire.
Described as “modern and immersive”, the new visitor destination will take guests through the glasshouses and Botanical Dry Room, showcase the historical Dakin stills and inform them about the history of the mill in the Heritage Room before ending up in the new Mill Bar to enjoy a Bombay Sapphire cocktail.
It also features the Empire Room, a new advocacy and training centre that will host brand education master classes for the trade and media from all over the world.
For 200 years, the site produced high-quality paper for the bank notes of India and the British Empire and this heritage of creating high-quality products at the site is highlighted as part of the tour.
Valerie Brass, global marketing director of Bombay Sapphire gin, said: “This is a truly exciting time for Bombay Sapphire as we open our doors to the public worldwide and share our story with them for the first time.
“Our aim was to create a world-class distillery, built to mirror the fundamental principles of our brand – beauty, creation and integrity. Everything we do from our iconic blue bottle, to the 10 exotic Bombay Sapphire botanicals and our unique Vapour Infusion process, demonstrate our commitment to quality and innovation in gin distillation.”
To book tickets, visit www.bombaysapphire.com from August 20.
