Star of Bombay marks a busy couple of years for Bombay Sapphire, with the release of Bombay Amber, the relaunching of Bombay Dry, and, of course, the opening of their own Distillery and Visitors’ Centre in Laverstoke, Hampshire.

Star of Bombay takes its name from the precious stone from Sri Lanka – a 182-carat sapphire. I’ve often heard that this was the inspiration for the “sapphire” in Bombay Sapphire. The stone has an interesting history and is thought have been given to Mary Pickford by Douglas Fairbanks (both stars of the silent age of cinema). Upon her death in 1979, Pickford bequeathed the stone to the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History in Washington D.C., where it remains on display to this day.

It is made using the ten classic Bombay Sapphire botanicals and adds to that mix bergamot (a citrus fruit often used in Earl Grey tea) and ambrette seeds (the seeds of yellow hibiscus). It is also worth noting that the vapour infusion distillation process is slowed down, to allow a more intense flavour to be extracted. The gin is bottled at 47.5% ABV.

On its own
Nose: A little citrus upfront, as well as coriander, some lightly briney, herbal, leafy notes, and a touch of chopped nuts. Juniper and angelica come through towards the end as the gin opens up.
Taste: Floral upfront, with the bergamot adding citrus and aromatic floral notes, which are followed by the spicy citrus-florality of coriander. As the flavour develops, more of the classic Bombay Sapphire notes come through, with a slightly oily citrus flavour and then dry juniper and pine, before woody menthol pepper on the finish.

Overall, Star of Bombay is a more intense and complex gin than the classic Bombay Sapphire.

Gin & Soda
This has a good level of flavour and allows lots of refreshing botanical notes to come through. In this drink, the floral citrus of the bergamot is a particularly pleasant addition.

Gin & Tonic
Star of Bombay makes a dry Gin & Tonic with a pleasant citrus freshness, as well as just a touch of sweetness towards the end. With a little ice-melt, it settles into a refreshing and cooling drink.

Martini
Smooth, spicy, and citrusy, with peppery juniper on the finish. I think that a lemon twist works well in this cocktail – the oil makes the gin even more aromatic. This is a smooth, but intense Martini with a leafy crispness and bold intensity to it.

Negroni
Strong flavours come through from the gin, Campari, and the vermouth, with an intense, earthy bitterness on the finish. It is a smooth cocktail, with the floral citrus of the bergamot again coming through well. Bold and intense.

Intense Gin & Tonic
[Equal parts Star of Bombay and tonic water – garnish with orange peel.]
Bright and delicious, oily and fresh, this drink has a wonderful interplay between the dryness of some of the gin’s botanicals and the tonic water, and the sweetness of the orange peel. A lovely drink to kick-off an evening.

In Conclusion
Star of Bombay is a more intense version of the classic Bombay Sapphire, with additional floral citrus from its new botanicals. The gin stands up well to mixing, especially in long, cooling drinks. My favourite, though, was the intense Gin & Tonic, turning a classic from a long drink to a short one.

Star of Bombay is available for around £32 for 700ml from Waitrose