In most bars in US, you are guaranteed to get the iconic blue colored bottle of Bombay Sapphire gin. The one that might be less seen is the gin that predated the Sapphire – called the Bombay Dry gin. The bottles look very similar except that Bombay Dry Gin is a clear bottle (not blue).

The original batch of Bombay Dry was made around 1960 and the recipe calls for an original one from nearly 100 years before that. The botanicals are Juniper Berries, Coriander Seeds, Liquorice Root, Almonds, Lemon Peel, Cassia Bark, Orris Root and Angelica Root. The base is neutral grain spirit.

What is slightly unique about this gin is the distillation process. Around the 1960s, the more common process was to throw in the botanicals into the base alcohol and boil it and distill it altogether. This distillery uses the vapor infusion. Basically the vapors of the boiling base alcohol is made to go thru a few copper baskets that are heavily perforated and hold the botanicals. Experts claim that this gives it a more full flavor since the oils do not get destroyed.

Coming to the gin itself – it is all juniper and citrus. Specifically juniper and lemon. The nose is clearly lemony. The palate starts with the juniper but slowly cedes ground to the lemon if you hold it in your mouth for some time. The length is reasonably long.

Good gin to have neat, with tonic water or just about any cocktail that I can think of!