Flavor Profile
English Estate Gin was a limited edition gin released in 2019. It was the first gin designed under the Bombay name by Master Distiller Dr. Anne Brock.
It starts with the esteemed Bombay Sapphire gin as a base and adds three new botanicals to the ten standard.
European Pennyroyal, Hazelnut (did you know Hazelnuts have been found in gravesites in the UK that date back to 6,000 BCE?), and rose hips are the three new additions.
The botanicals are vapor distilled as are the ones in other gins in the Sapphire line.
Tasting Notes
Aroma: Slightly nuttier than expected. Hazelnuts and menthol color the nose. Pleasant, but very different from the nose of Bombay Sapphire.
Flavor: Some of the green juniper notes from the original come through here. Coriander, a touch of cubeb. There’s a pleasant but muted spice here.
Pennyroyal arrives on the mid-palate of Bombay Sapphire English Estate Gin. It never rises above a medium-low volume. It’s one of the most tightly integrated menthol-type notes I’ve tasted. The flavor is evident, but there’s no trigeminal coolness.
Finish: Moderate warmth with dull lemon and a hint of licorice. Fairly long with warmth and faint spice holding on for quite some length.
Cocktails
Bombay Sapphire English Estate Gin is a solid sipping gin with nice complexity that lends itself well to a Martini, Dirty Martini (olives pair very well) or Gibson. The savory contributions of the hazelnut and pennyroyal shine here.
Further though, it has a versatile strength that lends itself to cocktail making in general. However, more assertive ingredients overpower the novel additions. I’d recommend drinking English Estate Gin simply. If you’re mixing up a batch of Aviations or Corpse Revivers the standard Bombay Sapphire is better bang for the buck.
Overall, Bombay Sapphire English Estate Gin
A well executed Limited Release Gin from Laverstoke Mill. I like how the additional botanicals are present and center. It tasted like Bombay Sapphire— but not.
I’d recommend it to fans of the Bombay line of gins. While it veers contemporary, it seems to sit squarely in the middle in the 2020’s.
Highly recommended for fans of Bombay Sapphire and the Sapphire line.
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