In sessions held before and during London Cocktail Week, Dr George Dodd, a world leading authority on the sense of smell and the charming David Paskins form Bacardi have been showing off Bombay Gin’s latest work – no, not the UK launch of Bombay Sapphire East; something much more complex – The Gin Aroma Kit.
To say the Gin Aroma Kit has fascinated us is an understatement. From both marketing and flavour perspectives this is an enormous statement of intent, one almost as grandiose as using a Carter Head still, having a blue bottle or inscribing the botanicals on the label of the bottle back when Sapphire was launched. It’s the kind of forward thinking that put Bombay Sapphire on the map as a brand in the late 90’s and one that we hope sincerely will pay off. So, what is it about?
The Gin Aroma Academy is a division of the Aroma Academy, which also includes the Scotch Whisky Nosing Academy and the Wine Aroma Academy. The academy’s are lead by Dr George Dodd (an aroma scientist and bio-chemist as well as a Master Perfumer) and provide aroma training, design, development and the creation of aromas specific to many industries including wine, Scotch whisky, gin and perfumery. Together with Bacardi, they have created a gin flavour wheel, a set of prescribed terms and a box containing 24 botanical compounds.
All three are important and just as interesting as each other. The flavour wheel is something we would recommend to anyone who is starting out tasting and nosing their way through Gin. It is relatively easy for everyone to detect wider flavours like citrus or floral notes but using the wheel as a guide in a few easy steps you are attempting to find the nuances of whether you are picking up on orange notes or lemon within the citrus, violet or rose in floral… Specific flavours aside, the Gin wheel and prescribed terms give everyone the opportunity to articulate what they are tasting and from that, what they like, or don’t like, and why. It is incredibly hard to find the words to effectively communicate flavour, let alone have a point of reference that allows many people to discuss it between them. Consider the terms and the Gin wheel as a set of rules on which to begin a conversation. All too often people feel inept at articulating flavour not only because they lack the confidence in their own noses but also because they don’t know where to start describing something. These two items are an immense contribution to the wider gin category and are perfect for those who are looking to find out a little more of what they enjoy in a gin.
Of course, having a gin wheel doesn’t instantly make people able to differentiate between one smell and another. Over 95% of flavour is dependent on the sense of smell and this takes time to develop. As Dr Dodd mentions – you are taught to read, write and even play music, but you are never taught how to smell. Some people are blessed with exceptional noses, but for many, we need guidance and it will take a bit of learning before being able to unlock all of the secrets of a gin’s flavour. The 24 bottles of single botanical compounds included in the Aroma Kit go a long way to helping you do this. Smelling the individual botanicals allows you to train your nose to become familiar with a particular smell – and thus able to detect them when they are present in the form of gin. This takes a little time but once you are familiar with a particular odour it not only becomes much easier to detect it when it is in your glass accompanied by the many other botanicals, but it also makes it easier to understand what the botanical is bringing to the wider ensemble.
Interestingly there are currently four types of juniper compounds included in the kit – a piney juniper, a grass one, a herbaceous waxy one and a woody resinous one. Dr Dodd mentioned that there might be more to come as juniper is a complex botanical (and also because there are many variants of it). The juniper compounds are also fascinating as the difference between the notes you can pick up in some gins like Beefeater (where the botanicals have been steeped and distilled in the spirit) and others (where it has been Vapour infused) like Bombay Sapphire are distinct. Having the different juniper compounds available to smell and compare really helps to discern what the distillation does to the botanicals too. Rather unsurprisingly for juniper, steeping and distilling results in a more herbaceous waxy flavour where as vapour infusing results in fresher, grassier notes.
We often stick to particular types of gin (London Dry for example) because we are familiar with something but actually don’t quite know what it is that we like about it. Having a few indications and some reasonably well-constructed reasons as to what you like would make deciding whether or not to pay to try a new gin much easier. It would also help inform you as to what type of cocktails you would prefer over another, or even which gin would suit a particular cocktail more than another. With a bit of thought and some trial and error, this is possible to do without the kit, but having it does make the learning curve much faster.
The Gin Aroma Kit is an interesting proposition from a brand perspective too. Opening up comparative flavour profiling with other brands is often perceived as high risk, as there is a distinct possibility that once the consumer knows what they like- and has the confidence to act upon it – they may well opt for someone else rather than sticking to what you want them to. In this light, it seems naïve that The Bombay Gin Company are investing time and money in educating consumers just to see them walk away with their now trained noses and seek out other gins; however the reality is somewhat different.
In today’s market Bombay Sapphire is the incumbent, it is the established Gin and challenger brands will always have the appeal of the “new” to attempt to seduce customers away. By reaffirming why people love Bombay Sapphire, other than it’s price point and iconic bottle, the team hopes they will retain their fan base. They have a few aces up the sleeves too. The fact that they are one of only a handful of brands that use vapour infusion as their distillation method sets them apart. When put under the scrutiny of nosing panels and when one tastes the difference in something as basic as just the juniper (as we mentioned earlier) – the difference between them and London Dry’s is clear, and those that favour the lighter style will have a rejuvenated sense of why they enjoyed Bombay Sapphire in the first place. Another ace is that they have a Master of Botanicals whose sole responsibility is quality control and as a brand are known to be passionate about the ingredients they use. To cut all the other rationale short and abbreviate the story – when put to the test, Bombay Gins have a point of difference and credibility with regards to their flavour profiles. It may not be to everyone’s taste, but you couldn’t accuse them of being the same as all the others.
From a marketing perspective, in a category where consumer decisions are fast becoming as promiscuous as in a sweet store – arming your general fan base with the confidence to state specifically why they like your product means that you make evangelists out of them. It turns the 50/50 consumer into a more loyal one, consolidating the brand and crucially, it gives a level of advocacy that would otherwise be swept aside by an assertive new gin, fresh on the market and receiving it’s 15 minutes of fame.
For those who discover by exploring the individual compounds and comparing a few gins afterwards (like us here at TGB) that Bombay Sapphire isn’t their favoured tipple – we would say, at least you can admire the fact that their team are bold and daring and we thank them for doing a service to the wider category.
We have to admit to being a little disappointed with the recent Bombay Gin Company launch of Bombay Sapphire East in the US, not because of its flavour, but because the packaging is so safe and the identity is barely more adventurous than the most traditional of whiskies are with their new launches. It’s the kind of new release that plays on being “new”, and we were disappointed because when Sapphire was released, it broke the mould, rejuvenated a category and in time has become an icon. You couldn’t repeat the instant bang and domination now as times have changed – breaking a product onto the market has to be done in a considerably different way – but the ambition can still remain. We were worried it had gone but seemingly we doubted too soon. Advocacy and brand loyalty can be built in other ways than ‘new’ or big budget campaigns with no real message, and so it’s with great pleasure that we hear about the Aroma Kits. No doubt they won’t become that well known or have that much of an impact on gin fans – we are not suggesting that they will become huge sellers either – but the level of adventurous, long term thinking is back. It’s about progressing the wider Gin category, having faith that educating consumers will lead to more awareness and trusting that your product will appeal to them. It’s a bold statement, a brave one too– it’s the Bombay Sapphire marketing of old.
Smell is often an overlooked sense and one that more bartenders and gin drinkers should be focusing in on. A bold long-term strategy to consumer marketing on the other hand is what many brands should be looking to do more of too. If you ever have the opportunity to go to a session lead by David or George, go, as it is more than just eye opening, it will change the way you look at flavour and Gin. There are also other things to be discussed at these events like trigeminal effects (the sense in your mouth that picks up on whether something is oily, bubbly etc…) and how the method of distillation will impact the retronasal impression you receive as well as aftertaste and it’s effect on the flavour experience. It is science and drinks combined at their best, presented by gents who are both approachable and passionate.
Most importantly, all marketing and gin geekery aside – it’s fun.