Crafted to celebrate ten years of the BOMBAY SAPPHIRE distillery, the glassware is the first ownable Thomas Heatherwick piece of its kind
Today BOMBAY SAPPHIRE® reveals a new collaboration with British designer Thomas Heatherwick, celebrating a beautiful partnership that spans over a decade.
BOMBAY SAPPHIRE and Heatherwick Studio have come together once again to create a bespoke Gin & Tonic glass, perfect for making a BOMBAY SAPPHIRE & Tonic. The Gin & Tonic glass will be available as part of a beautiful gift set alongside a limited-edition bottle of BOMBAY SAPPHIRE, offering gin lovers the first chance to own one of Heatherwick’s unique designs.
The collaboration marks the tenth anniversary since the opening of the BOMBAY SAPPHIRE distillery at Laverstoke Mill and is inspired by the synergy between the man-made and natural world, as seen in Heatherwick Studio’s original glasshouse designs. The glassware mirrors the way in which the glasshouses showcase the ten botanicals that give BOMBAY SAPPHIRE its bright, vibrant taste.
The glassware embraces biophilic design, a major design trend which emerged in the last decade and has been gaining momentum ever since, incorporating nature into architecture & design. Nature is at the heart of all Heatherwick’s work, beautifully reflected in the glasshouse-inspired Gin & Tonic glass, which brings the outdoors closer to us in a stylish and refreshing way.
Natasha Curtin, Global Vice President for BOMBAY SAPPHIRE comments, “At our distillery’s ten-year milestone, we’re incredibly proud to collaborate again with someone as esteemed in the design world as Thomas Heatherwick, the original designer of the BOMBAY SAPPHIRE distillery. The distillery at the historic Laverstoke Mill is an iconic part of our heritage and where every drop of BOMBAY SAPPHIRE is distilled. The Gin & Tonic glass pays tribute to the distillery and glasshouses that feature his signature design, and we’re delighted that gin lovers will now be able to experience the BOMBAY SAPPHIRE & Tonic in this very special piece of glassware.”
Thomas Heatherwick adds, “Ten years ago, BOMBAY SAPPHIRE presented us with an opportunity to design with sustainability in mind, resulting in the world’s first refurbishment project to achieve BREEAM Outstanding for industrial design, the highest recognition from the world’s leading environmental assessment for buildings. We transformed the remains of an old paper mill into a distillery that places nature at its core. Two remarkable glasshouses were constructed to harness waste heat from the distillation process, cultivating the botanical plant species that give the gin its unique flavour.”
“At the studio we’re fascinated by the patterns, visual complexity and imperfectness of nature. We also always strive to create projects where people can feel they’ve been made with love, care and imagination, whether it’s a bottle or a building. This year’s anniversary is a chance to cherish the ambition of BOMBAY SAPPHIRE to support innovation and beauty, and our shared love for nature as a powerful influence in design.”
In early 2025, eagerly anticipated cocktail experiences will launch across ten leading European bars. Guests will be able to enjoy a botanical-inspired cocktail served in the Gin & Tonic glass, with the gin poured from a striking handmade decanter also designed by Heatherwick.
The BOMBAY SAPPHIRE x Thomas Heatherwick gift set is available just in time for Christmas, exclusively in the UK at the BOMBAY SAPPHIRE distillery or online at bombaysapphire.com (RRP £69.99). Or for a gift under £50, the BOMBAY SAPPHIRE Limited Edition bottle is also available at bombaysapphire.com (RRP £25).
Daily tours, events and cocktail experiences at the distillery are also available to book online to celebrate the milestone anniversary.