24 drams of Christmas continues with a superbly citrusy English gin, Bombay Sapphire Premier Cru Murcian Lemon!
It’s day 17 of our 24 drams of Christmas, which means there’s but one short week left of Advent deliciousness. Today we’re plucking a dram from Drinks by the Dram’s Premium Gin Advent Calendar, bringing a dose of citrusy, juniper-y delight to our glasses. It’s Bombay Sapphire Premier Cru Murcian Lemon!
The Bombay Sapphire story
Bombay Sapphire is produced at Laverstoke Mill in Hampshire, which opened in 2014 – before that it was produced at Greenall’s. The recipe for the original Bombay Dry Gin came from a recipe that dates back to 1761, and soon after the brand was bought by the company that would later become Diageo, an idea was proposed to create a more premium version of Bombay Dry Gin. And so, Bombay Sapphire was born in 1987! The same carterhead stills that produced the gins for all those years were saved from a fire at the distillery in 2005, and eventually moved to the brand new Bombay Sapphire distillery at Laverstoke Mill.
It’s French 75 time!
But today we’re focusing on a relatively new release from the brand, the Premier Cru Murcian Lemon Gin. While the original gin is known for its aromatics (thanks to vapour infusion of the botanicals), this one is all about celebrating citrus – specifically, Murcian lemons, mandarins, and sweet Navel oranges from southeast Spain. The fruits are hand-picked during the late season’s annual harvest and then hand-peeled, using techniques passed down through generations, before they’re allowed to dry naturally under the Mediterranean sun.
Tasting note for Bombay Sapphire Premier Cru Murcian Lemon
Vibrant sun-dried peels, juicy orange, black pepper, a hint of floral blossom, pine, lemon drops.
How to make a Bombay Sapphire French 75
50ml Bombay Sapphire Premier Cru Murcian Lemon
80ml Brut Champagne
15ml freshly squeezed lemon juice
1½ tsp white sugar
Lemon peel to garnish
Add the lemon juice and sugar to a shaker and stir to dissolve. Add Bombay Sapphire Premier Cru and fill with cubed ice. Shake well, and then strain into your champagne flute. Top with chilled Brut Champagne, stir gently, and garnish with your lemon peel twist.
We’ll be back tomorrow with another Advent dram. Cheers!
