Many people these days are thirsting not just for a drink but for knowledge about where it comes from. “Spirit tourism’’ is booming across the United Kingdom, with artisanal brands and micro distilleries popping up and many global brands distilled here. Bombay Sapphire distillery, for example, produces its iconic blue bottles of gin in a former paper mill in Hampshire, England. Gin has been enjoying a renaissance, according to the Wine and Spirit Trade Association, and even well-established global brands have been trying to up their game. “When Bombay Sapphire came out 30 years ago, in 1986, there was probably a handful of different gins. Now we’re seeing about 200 new gins on the market every single year in the U.K. alone,” says spokesman Sam Carter. Over 100,000 people a year come through the distillery, he says. Along with tours, Bombay Sapphire offers cocktail master classes, botanical supper clubs, and horticultural tours through the surrounding … [Read more...] about Spirit Tourism: With artisanal brands and micro distilleries popping up, Britain sees spike in visits to distilleries
