Imagine walking into a lovely riverside venue on a sunny day that sticks out amongst Melbourne’s dreary winter, getting handed a gin and tonic, and suddenly hearing that you will be here, in this alternate reality for the next five hours, drinking gin cocktails, eating food, and making your own perfume; sounds like a chore doesn’t it?
This was the launch of Bombay Sapphire’s Project Botanicals 2016 addition. Held at Taxi Riverside, if you like gin, food, or anything that is simply made for sensory explosion then you are in for a real treat.
Each course of the degustation has been painstakingly prepared by head chef of Taxi Kitchen Tony Twitchett, and combined with the perfect cocktail (concocted by some of Melbourne’s top bartenders) to compliment the flavours. If you favour food over booze, or vice versa, it doesn’t really matter; both are perfectly presented, as the theme is the artistry behind Bombay Sapphire Gin.
The ‘True Artistry’ behind Bombay Sapphire Gin is ten botanicals which create the distinct flavour, which we were taken through by perfume specialist Samantha Taylor. Samantha took gin to a new level when she described it as “drinkable perfume”, before guiding us through creating our own eau de perfume, out of those ten botanicals. It was a bit of a hit and miss to make sure it didn’t smell like toilet cleaner, but Samantha really knows what’s up so saved the day if your perfume was heading that way.
Project Botanicals will be an interactive event open to the public for two weeks from September 8-18th. DJ’s Yolanda Be Cool have created some mood music while you enjoy a two-hour sitting of two courses and two cocktails for only $49 a ticket. Dietary requirements can be catered for, just email ahead.
– Maddie
Maddie Kilby is a freelance writer amongst many vocations and is the type of person who gets bored easily and likes to find herself in weird places doing weird things. You can follow her at @MadKil6.
Bombay Sapphire’s Project Botanicals runs for two weeks from Thursday 8th September – Sunday 18th September. Tickets are available here for the food and cocktail matching. The bar is open to the public for walk in guests.
The venue is accessible.
