Drink inspiration: Project Botanicals recipes from four top bartenders


From left: Kurtis Bosley, Alissa Gabriel, David Nguyen-Luu, Huw Griffiths.

A sensory adventure to the ends of the earth, where Bombay Sapphire botanicals are sustainably sourced

Following the huge success of previous iterations, in November Bombay Sapphire presented a reinvented and stimulating experience: Bombay Sapphire Project Botanicals: A Journey to the Edges of Food, Music and Imagination.

This year, Project Botanicals paid homage to the worldly locations of Bombay Sapphire’s sustainably sourced vapour-infused botanicals. This unique story came to life as an interactive sensory adventure, with an immersive audio visual experience designed by Future Classic artist Ta-Ku, and culinary surprises by Studio Neon’s Aaron Teece in collaboration with some of Australia’s top cocktail bars including Mjølner, The Barber Shop, Union Electric and Bar Moncur, all tasked with creating exquisite Bombay Sapphire libations.

At the event, guests travelled on a voyage to sensory destinations celebrating four of the 10 locations Bombay Sapphire sources botanicals from, including coriander seed from the hot sun of Morocco, lemon peel from Spain, liquorice from the grassy plains of China and cubeb berries from misty Java.

Under a verdant grove of Spanish trees, guests were invited to hand-pick what appeared to be lemons from a bed of leaves, to find they are in fact cheesecakes in the form of the fallen fruit alongside a lemon Verna cocktail creation by Alissa Gabriel from Mjølner.

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On the hazy Javanese mountains peppery cubeb berry fairy floss clouds were found atop char grilled satay chicken, complementing a jungle-inspired Sound of Sapphire cocktail created by David Nguyen-Luu from The Barber Shop.

In the dark ambience of a Chinese backstreet, dished from a vending machine in the side of a towering door, guests experienced tastes of liquorice in Kurtis Bosley’s Jasmine Bloom cocktail from Bar Moncur and twisted liquorice duck pancakes.

Finally, in Morocco a pressed lamb tagine with coriander yoghurt foam was served amongst the spices and rugs of a city souk, alongside a sun-drenched coriander Moroccan Green Tea Fizz by Union Electric’s Huw Griffiths.

Adding to the immersive atmosphere is a collaborative 360 audio and visual composition created by acclaimed Australian musician, creative and producer Ta-Ku. An exclusive original piece of music and repertoire of vivid and avant-garde projection mapping played throughout the different installations, inspiring a voyage to each location.

Take a look at the recipes below.

Verna by Alissa Gabriel, Mjølner

  • 50ml Bombay Sapphire
  • 25ml Lemon Juice
  • 10ml Cucumber Juice
  • 10ml Honey (Cut 1:1 with water)
  • 5ml Averna

Method: Shake
Glassware: Nick & Nora
Ice: Crushed
Garnish: Dehydrated Lemon Wheel

 

Sundara by David Nguyen-Luu, The Barber Shop

  • 50ml Bombay Sapphire
  • 50ml Honey Dew Melon Juice
  • 10ml Crawley’s Orgeat Syrup
  • 5ml DeKuyper Banana
  • 1 pinch cracked Cubeb Berries

Method: shake and double strain
Glassware: coupet 
Garnish: Honeydew melon ball, cracked Cubeb Berries 

 

Jasmine Bloom by Kurtis Bosley, Bistro Moncur

  • 50ml Bombay Sapphire
  • 30ml Mandarin Juice
  • 20ml Jasmine Tea & Liquorice Root Syrup
  • 10ml Lemon Juice
  • 1 dash Dandelion and Burdock bitters
  • 2 lemon verbena leaves (shaken in drink)
  • Method: Shake and double strain and spritz with soda. 
    Glassware: Collins 
    Ice: cubed 
    Garnish: 2 Lemon Verbena Leaves, Liquorish Mist (Liquorish bitters in atomiser)

 

Moroccan Tea Fizz by Huw Griffiths, Union Electric

  • 40ml Bombay Sapphire
  • 25ml Lime Juice
  • 10ml DeKuyper Apricot Liqueur
  • 15ml Sugar Syrup
  • 6-8 Fresh Coriander Leaves
  • 2 dash Salt Solution (16:100)
  • Method: Shake and double strain, spritz with soda 
    Glassware: Collins
    Ice: cubed 
    Garnish: Coriander Sprig.