Laverstoke Mill, London Rd, Whitchurch RG28 7NR, Verenigd Koninkrijk
Bombay Gin pride history Laverstoke Mill
The History of Laverstoke, Mill Bombay Gin
Bombay Gin pride history Laverstoke Mill
From The Domesday Book To Present Day
The proud history of Laverstoke Mill is recorded as far back as the 1086 Doomsday Book, in which a mill is noted on the site. Laverstoke Mill has been under the ownership of William the Conqueror, Henry VIII and enjoyed four royal visits, most recently Queen Elizabeth in 1962.
In 1719, having acquired the lease for Laverstoke Mill, printer Henry Portal expanded the site enabling him to begin manufacturing bank notes for the British Empire in 1724.
Bombay Gin pride history Laverstoke Mill
In the mid-18th century Laverstoke Mill saw increasing prosperity; manufacturing the bank notes during Queen Victoria’s long reign. The site was expanded by the Portal family in 1842, and again in 1881, introducing further elegant architecture to allow for increased production.
Bombay Sapphire’s heritage begins in 1761 when Thomas Dakin purchased a site in Warrington, England, with the intention of distilling gin. In 1831, the Dakin family purchased a still, and adapted it to separate the exotic botanicals from the neutral grain spirit, capturing the flavours of the botanicals in the vapour – an artisanal distillation process now known as Vapour Infusion, and still faithfully used by Bombay Sapphire today.
BREEAM Accreditation at the Bombay Sapphire Distillery
In building a modern distillery at Laverstoke Mill every reasonable effort has been made to ensure the processes and buildings are as sustainable and efficient as possible. In recognition of this the distillery was awarded the highly prestigious BREEAM Award for Industrial Design in 2014. BREEAM, the world’s leading and most widely used environmental assessment method for buildings, sets the standard for best practice in sustainable design and has become the measurement used to describe a building’s environmental performance.
Bombay Gin pride history Laverstoke Mill
In 2013, Laverstoke Mill became the first distillery and first refurbishment to achieve an ‘Outstanding’ design-stage BREEAM accreditation for its distillery process buildings. These proposals of design-stage sustainability measures have been carried forward into construction and completion.
OurBotanicals Expert
Our spirit of innovation and inspiration is not only embodied in our gin, but in our Master of Botanicals himself, Ivano Tonutti. Travelling to the four corners of the world, he’s developed personal relationships with each and every supplier, some going back decades. As Ivano himself says, this absolute attention to detail is “simply about maintaining the standard of care behind our gin”.
The FinestIngredients
Creating the finest Bombay Gin possible takes the highest quality raw ingredients. We use up to 12 precious botanicals suspended above the spirit in perforated copper baskets during distillation. That way, as the heated spirit vapours rise, they’re gently infused with all the rich aromatic flavours our botanicals release.
Unique VapourInfusion
While ordinary gins boil their botanicals directly in the spirit to achieve their flavour, the wonderfully distinctive taste of our gin is created using the Vapour Infusion process. We still use our original Carterhead stills – Tom and Mary – from the 1830s, but we have now added two state-of-the-art 12,000 litre copper pot stills – Henry and Victoria – to our refurbished original stills.
Bombay Gin pride history Laverstoke Mill
Our Essential Botanicals
From the heat of our Moroccan cubeb berries to the spice of our West African Grains of Paradise, every one of our ten precious botanicals are chosen to bring their own special something to our gin. Uniquely distilled, they come together to give Bombay Sapphire its tantalising, smooth and complex taste.
Bombay Sapphire
Our world famous Bombay Gin in its distinctive blue bottle. Every drop contains 10 hand-selected botanicals from exotic locations around the world.
Going ToGreat Lengths
Our Master of Botanicals, Ivano Tonutti, doesn’t just go the extra mile, he goes an extra thousand miles. He hand-selects the botanicals used in our Bombay Gin and builds personal relationships with each grower.
Bombay Gin pride history Laverstoke Mill
InfusedWith Care
Once we’ve hand-selected the finest botanicals on earth, there’s no way we’re then going to boil them. We gently vapour infuse them to capture their bright, vibrant flavours.
Bombay Gin pride history Laverstoke Mill
The PerfectBalance
Every one of our gins reflect our rigorous selection process and uncompromising approach to creating fresh, clean, bright flavours that are perfect for creating exceptional mixed drinks.
Bombay Gin pride history Laverstoke Mill
Bombay SapphirePremier Cru Murcian Lemon
Discover the bright, bold citrus notes of sustainably grown Spanish Fino lemons, mandarins and sweet Navel oranges from Murcia. A celebration of nature’s finest flavours.
Bombay Gin pride history Laverstoke Mill
Endless Creative Possibilities
Discover the flavours of Spanish Fino lemons, mandarins and sweet Navel Oranges from Murcia, perfectly captured in a smooth, fresh and aromatic handcrafted small-batch Bombay Gin. An exquisite liquid with endless creative possibilities.
The Most Vibrant &Aromatic Citrus
This small-batch Bombay Gin that celebrates the most vibrant and aromatic citrus in the world. In southeast Spain, where the finest Murcian lemons, mandarins and sweet Navel oranges grow, we work closely with local suppliers and farmers to sustainably source the most exquisite citrus for our Premier Cru Murcian Lemon Gin.
A Tribute To Quality & Craft
In each small batch we create, our Master Distiller selects the precise cut of the distillation to ensure each-and-every bottle is a fitting tribute to the region, the suppliers and farmers’ craftsmanship, and the supreme quality of that harvest ensuring the same outstanding liquid is produced each year. Against the signature BOMBAY SAPPHIRE taste, this expression beautifully balances sweet orange and mandarin, while allowing the vibrancy of our signature Murcian lemons to shine through as the hero of this exquisite liquid.
Hand-Picked andHand Peeled Citrus
During the late season’s annual harvest, using techniques passed down through generations, our dedicated suppliers and farmers hand-pick and hand-peel each fruit at its most ripe and allow them to dry naturally under the Mediterranean sun, capturing only the brightest, most aromatic citrus oils that harvest has to offer.
Bombay Gin pride history Laverstoke Mill
Timeline
- c. 903 – Laverstoke Mill is in possession of the Abbey of St Peter, Winchester
- 1086 – William the Conqueror’s Domesday Book records two mills in Laverstoke
- 1538 – Dissolution of the monasteries, Henry VIII acquires Laverstoke Manor
- 1689 – Henri de Portal born 8th July in Poitiers, France, to a French Huguenot family
- 1699-1700 – Henri de Portal arrives in Southampton
- 1711 – Henri de Portal naturalised at the Winchester Quarter Sessions and changes his name to Henry Portal
- 1712 – Henry begins his papermaking enterprise at Bere Mill, Whitchurch
- 1718 – In need of expansion, Henry obtains the lease of Laverstoke Mill at an annual rent of £5 plus a ream of foolscap paper
- 1724 – Contract with the Bank of England for the exclusive supply of banknote paper
- 1759 – Joseph Portal (Henry’s son) becomes the first Portal to own Laverstoke Manor
- 1850s – Cottages are built on site to accommodate mill workers
- 1854 – First phase of major rebuilding work to include a water turbine and new buildings
- 1860 – Contract with the Government of India to produce Indian Rupee paper
- 1861-2 – Banknote paper robbery at the Mill, police constable takes up residence on site
- 1880 – Paper for the world’s first postal order made at Laverstoke Mill and issued the following year
- 1896 – HRH Edward Prince of Wales visits the Mill, the first of five royal visits over the next century
- 1906 – Turbine erected at Bere Mill, Whitchurch, to transmit electrical power to Laverstoke Mill
- 1916 – A cylinder mould machine house built to contain two paper machines from Zurich
- 1919 – Fete held in Laverstoke Park to celebrate the bicentenary of Laverstoke Mill as a paper mill
- 1940s – Cargo ships carrying banknote paper from Laverstoke Mill to India are torpedoed
- 1962 – Last royal visit, Queen Elizabeth II
- 1963 – Papermaking at Laverstoke Mill ceased
- 1970s – Paterson Candy water treatment arrive at Laverstoke Mill
- 1995 – De La Rue acquired the Portals Group PLC
- 2005 – Laverstoke Mill becomes vacant
- 2009 – St James housing group propose to develop the site to accommodate 72 dwellings
- 2010 – Bombay Spirits Company purchases Laverstoke Mill
- 2014 – The Bombay Sapphire Distillery opens its doors to the public
Bombay Gin pride history Laverstoke Mill
Tours & Experiences
Discover the home of Bombay Sapphire gin on an experience to suit your interests. Choose from one of the many experiences we have on offer, don’t forget that gift vouchers are available from the online shop.
Bombay Gin pride history Laverstoke Mill
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