Bombay Sapphire unveils Murcian Lemon gin

Bombay Sapphire is putting citrus fruits front and centre in its new Premier Cru Murcian Lemon gin.

The super-premium spirit celebrates the Spanish region of Murcia, renowned for its great-quality citrus fruits. Hand-picked Murcian Fino lemons are at the heart of the new gin’s botanical bill, alongside mandarins and sweet Navel oranges.

As part of the brand’s ongoing mission towards sustainability, each of the botanicals in Bombay Sapphire Premier Cru is set to be sustainably sourced by the end of 2021. It follows an announcement in March this year that eight out of 10 of the core Bombay Sapphire botanicals were being sourced sustainably.

The Premier Cru Murcian Lemon is bottled at a slightly higher strength of 47% ABV. With its bold citrus flavour profile, Bombay Sapphire says the gin would make it a great foundation for classic cocktails such as a French 75 or Martini.

It comes after the launch in March of Bombay Sapphire Sunset, which also featured Spanish citrus alongside turmeric and white cardamom.

Bombay Sapphire’s master of botanicals, Ivano Tonutti, said: “I am delighted to showcase the work of our suppliers and farmers in Murcia, many of whom I’ve known personally for over 20 years, in a truly remarkable gin. Each lemon has been hand-picked at its ripest moment in small quantities during the late Fino harvest season, using skilful techniques passed down from generation to generation.

“Murcian citrus is particularly special due to the exact region where it is grown. Sitting in a basin between mountain and sea, it is the perfect microclimate for growing citrus that slowly ripens in the winter months for the best-tasting fruit and impactful flavour.”

Dr Anne Brock, master distiller at Bombay Sapphire, said: “We are delighted that gin fans will soon be trying this stunning new expression, which is a multifaceted celebration of renowned Murcian citrus.

“I am incredibly proud of the meticulous processes used to produce Bombay Sapphire Premier Cru from the skilled sourcing and preparation of botanicals to my role in carefully adapting every small batch of gin to bring out the nuances of the late harvest during distillation, amplifying the unique characteristics and finest flavours into a consistent flavour profile every year.”

Bombay Sapphire Premier Cru Murcian Lemon is available to buy on the Bombay Sapphire website.