bombay sapphire distillery

I visited the site as an afternoon getaway for my mother and I. Lovely location, great to see such an old site have so much investment pumped into it (wonderfully done I might add!) We were on the 'self discovery' tour so armed with a map wandered round. Some of the interactive displays for the plants in the greenhouses had hints of screen burn, but that's me being very picky. Only let down was the weather, so didn't get to enjoy as much of the sights/sounds as we'd have liked. On a summers afternoon the place would be perfect. Might have to venture back later on in the year :)

All staff amazing! We enjoyed the gin masterclass experience hosted by Sean what a great way to spend any afternoon. Sean was informative, humorous and a great host. A special mention to Louise our guide around the factory. She was also brilliant. Cant waiIt to return. I wish I was planning a big event as this would be a amazing place to hold it...

This trip was planned for my birthday and it was over and above my expectations. I had read the write ups and reviews but nothing can prepare you for the excellent customer service displayed by all the staff we met (special mention to Kelly and Jordan and Ewan). I've known the site for many years and it was good to get inside to see the changes. Lots of shines stills, wonderful architecture, Eco friendly, wildlife conservation but best of all the dry room. Here you smell, touch and taste...if your brave enough all the botanicals. You punch your ticket with your favourites and this builds your ideal cocktail for when the tour ends.I can't rate this experience any higher and will return another day with friends as it suits all tastes.Thank you for an amazing birthday trip

Not previously being a Gin drinker I was a little sceptical about this team night excursion. However what a wonderful surprise.Great tour with the end being in the bar for several cocktails..Only thing missing was the Blue Umpa Lumpas.. Great time had by all..

The whole site is lovely - quiet ,stunning location on the river Test The buildings have been beautifully maintained and the Glass Houses add a charm of their own The guides are all very knowledgeable and the hands on experience in the Botanical Dry Room is very good The whole place is first class The interactive map is an excellent way to guide visitors on the tour .The complimentary cocktail is a nice touch & if you choose the non- acholic drink you are given your Gin & Tonic to take home

We visited the newly renovated Laverstoke Mill for the VIP Distiller Day which I'd booked as a birthday present for my partner. We've visited many wineries/breweries/distilleries over the years but gin is our favourite tipple and had also read some favourable press coverage so our expectations were very high - nevertheless, our visit actually exceeded our expectations. We were lucky enough to have input from both Nik, the master distiller and Sam, the senior ambassador (ably supported by the efficient Charlotte). Their knowledge and passion for sharing it is truly impressive and with only eleven in our group there was plently of opportunity for questions and for personal attention. The mill itself, the setting on the river Test, the Thomas Heatherwick glass houses and even the copper stills are absolutely beautiful - it is worth a visit for those alone. We were impressed by the thought that has gone into minimising environmental impact and securing sustainability including with the (tiny) workforce. The use of cutting edge technology - the computerised management systems in the control room - balanced with traditional skill - the "nosing" done to get the blend just right is fascinating and on this tour you see all the backroom secrets - with the exception, of course of the precise details of the Bombay Sapphire recipe.Sam's tips on how to get the best out of serving and tasting gin were also excellent (although I may need to practice them quite a lot more!!! ;-)) A big surprise was the fantastic buffet we were served to eat with the cocktails we had made.We ended our visit in the shop which sells only gin (including Bombay Sapphire East which is hard to get in the UK), bar equipment and cocktail recipe books. There is no souvenir tat, everything is fairly priced and the lady in the shop, like all the other employees we encountered on the shop floor or acting as hosts, was friendly and committed to the business. Very impressive.We had made a special trip to Hampshire to visit the distillery and stayed at Oakley Hall Hotel which is less than five miles away and is lovely. Even the weather was perfect so that overall we had a great and memorable weekend. Highly recommended.

Took my husband and a couple of friends as a birthday treat. Not a gin drinker myself but we all thoroughly enjoyed the cocktail masterclass with Melody, who was lovely and knowledgable. The buildings were stunning and the glasshouses, river and surroundings worth the visit. Take a camera. All the staff: tour guides, bar staff and shop lady were very welcoming and nothing was too much trouble. Would definitely recommend.

My 20 year old daughter & I went for the afternoon and we both thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. A beautiful, quiet & calming location. We stayed on for the cocktail making class too. Good fun. Make sure you have a driver as after 3 cocktails and a further 2 to taste we weren't fit to drive anywhere!It's a shame the council won't allow them to have a cafe/small restaurant as it would have been a nice place to have lunch. You can however get a coffee/tea/hot chocolate and a slice of home made cake.I wouldn't take small children.

I booked tickets to visit yesterday with my mum and sister for my sisters birthday and an early mothers day present for our mum. I didnt know this place existed but it was recommended by a friend. The venue was very easy to find with lots of parking, it helped that we went on a nice day as there is some walking outside. It's clear that the venue is very new as everything was beautifully maintained. We took the self guided tour and wandered around ourselves, however when you enter the distillery you do have a guide. Our guide Jordan not only possessed excellent knowledge, but was also very authentic and added some fun to the tour. I was simply amazed by how environmentally friendly the distillery is and we learnt a surprising amount about the history of gin and the brand. The tour ends with a visit to the bar for a complementary cocktail but as I was driving I had a lovely non alcoholic cocktail and was also able to get a takeaway pack of gin and tonic. We spent about 2 and a half hours here but if you are non drivers you could spend longer. We particularly enjoyed the shop and bought some goodies, the best part for me was seeing how much the others enjoyed their visit. For £15 entry, I think this is good value and a very civilised way to spend a afternoon. If you are thinking about it, go ahead and book. You can also buy a gift voucher for entry which is a really original idea for those tricky to buy for people.

My husband and I had a thoroughly enjoyable and informative morning at Laverstoke. The site is impressive, combining the best of 18th century and modern architecture. Staff were welcoming and well-trained in customer service. The workshop was led by Sean (or possibly Shaun??) who had a very high level of expertise and knowledge that he imparted with enthusiasm and humour. We learned a lot - and not only how to make good gin-based drinks, but also about social history. This was followed by a tour of the production unit, which again was interesting and led by an enthusiastic guide. All in all, a stimulating mornng that was excellent value for money.

A group of 6 of us visited recently on a hen do. Beautiful location, interesting tour by Maurice and a fantastic cocktail masterclass from Sam. I can't think of many better ways to spend an afternoon

Hi Michael, I'm really glad you appreciate the beauty of the site. You mention that you work within the beverage industry (i have an idea where...) I'm not sure why you didn't book onto one of our drinks industry Masterclasses which would have given you an in-depth session with our Bombay Sapphire Ambassador Sam Carter. Anyway... With regards to our distillery host Louise, this is the first time anyone has mentioned (in well over 110 reviews!!!) that she didn't pitch her tour at the right level to the group. She is knowledgeable, good fun and passionate and we trained all our hosts using industry leading training from Tourism South East. Looking at a lot of the other reviews they claim that Louise was good-humoured, knowledgeable and passionate, so this review is a rare exception. It's your opinion though and of course, you're entitled to express it. Your main issue with the distillery is that you tasted a Cubeb Berry and didn't like it. There are 10 exotic botanicals in Bombay Sapphire Gin. Each botanical brings a different flavour and aroma that when combined ensure that Bombay Sapphire is a bright, fresh and well-balanced Gin. We want people to see the botanical ingredients and bring their senses alive which you can do using the Aroma Map - which incidentally helps you pick your complimentary cocktail. In particular the Cubeb Berries and Grains of Paradise have very unique tastes and if you want to try them you can. We don't force anyone to try them. You chose to try the cubeb berries from Java from a pepper mill which should probably have been a bit of a clue that the taste is peppery but if you had read the information next to the pepper mill then you would have seen that they also have a menthol taste to them as well. As you can see from the rest of our reviews 109 out of 119 would rate us at 4 or 5 stars (the overwhelming majority at 5 stars). You are entitled to your opinion on the distillery experience as you're entitled to your opinion on our Gin, Tripadvisor gives you the platform to share this, however biased. It's just a shame that in rating it you focused on the fact that you tried a botanical and didn't like it. If you have anything further you would like to discuss please do e-mail me on hello@bombaysapphire.com. Best of luck in the industry Michael.RegardsDaniel

Although to be fair - it would look a lot lovelier if the sun was shining.The tour started with the workshop - making a perfect gin and tonic and a martini whilst hearing some fairly interesting facts about the history of gin. The chap in charge clearly loved his job - to be fair -what's not to like!Then we were ushered out to look through the windows of the main distillery before having a wander into the greenhouse area and from there into the "smelling room" Following that there was a 15 minute guided tour with a very enthusiastic guide.I am not going to lie - we probably enjoyed the cocktail at the end most but the rest of the tour was very interesting.The only thing that I would say is that it may be an idea to have a leaflet with some information on it and maybe a plan as we were at a bit of a loss as to exactly what was happening and where to go and I don't think that this was just down to drinking too much gin.We didn't listen to the whispering bits in the courtyard as we were rushing to get inside out of the rain.All in all - very enjoyable and pretty good value.

I was given a voucher to visit the Bombay Gin Distillery at Laverstoke, near Whitchurch and enjoyed a trip out to the venue on a chilly February morning. The building is a sensitive conversion to distillery with interesting 'whispering' points for information (very high tech!) , friendly, informative guides (real people!) and hands on (noses on!) exhibits.We also really enjoyed the cocktail bar - well you would wouldn't you?!All that's missing is a restaurant/cafe , though you can buy coffee in the gin shop.

We spent a lovely afternoon making cocktails in a fabulous setting. Really good value for money as you get 2 drinks in the class and another afterwards. The setting is stunning and lots of effort (and, no doubt, money) has gone into making it a place worth finding. I'm already planning my next visit with my gin-loving dad for Fathers' Day.