In October 30 Friends of Romsey Abbey visited Laverstoke Mill on the river Test, to learn about the origins and production of Bombay Sapphire Gin.
We started our tour in the extraordinary tall modern glasshouses where samples of each of the 10 botanical plants used in the manufacturing process are growing in their natural state. Later in the Dakin Still House we were shown the unique vapour infusion process where the high quality sprit is infused with exotic botanicals that complete the gin making process.
Each person was given a personal interactive guide for use in a tasting and sampling process in the Botanical Dry Room. Here we selected our preferred aromas from 10 botanicals and chose which type you wished to have to suit our individual palate in our complimentary cocktail, served at the end of our tour in the Mill Bar. The interactive guide also gave details of the various botanicals and lists the better known gin cocktails and the alternative of two soft drinks.
In the Heritage Room we were able to discover the rich history of Laverstoke Mill over the past centuries. The visit culminated in a delicious lunch at the Red Lion Overton.