Bombay Sapphire launches edible paint for gin and tonic

Bacardi-owned gin brand Bombay Sapphire has launched an edible blue paint which can be used both to colour glasses and also release flavour in gin and tonics.

The blue flavoured paint can be applied to the inside of glasses both colouring and flavouring the drink. It was developed in partnership with bartender and head of cocktail development at Duck & Waffle, Rich Woods and boozy confectionery specialists Smith & Sinclair.

A statement from Bombay Sapphire added: “As the ice, gin and tonic blend together, a stripe of paint on the inside of the glass slowly infuses delicious flavour and a hint of colour into the drink”.

The paint is currently only available in five bars but there are plans to roll it out nationwide in 150 sites in the coming months.

Each of the five bars currently teaming up with Bombay Sapphire have developed their own paint flavour. Gin hot-spot Mr Fogg’s in Fitzrovia has developed the citrus hybrid calamansi-flavoured paint, London’s Duck & Waffle has gone with geranium while Scout has opted for Bergamot.

Further afield, Manchester’s Tariff & Dale has chosen a tropical Pineapple-flavoured twist while Edinburgh’s Panda and Sons is mixing up grapefruit-flavoured G&Ts.

Renaud de Bosredon, Bombay Sapphire UK brand ambassador, said: “We’re super excited to launch the Bombay Sapphire paint collection and bring it to gin lovers across the country. We want people to have fun and be creative with the way they enjoy this iconic serve. Each essence has been carefully designed to complement our botanicals.

The gin brand hopes to launch additional colours in the future as part of its Stir Creativity marketing campaign.

This is not the first time that a paint has been launched by a drinks company. Earlier this year, UK wine merchant Laithwaites teamed up with colour institute Pantone to create a bespoke shade of paint (of the non-edible variety) called ‘English sparkling’ to mark the growing success of the category.

‘English Sparkling’ is available as a Valspar® paint shade at B&Q stores nationwide, with the shade developed by the Pantone Color Institute in partnership with Laithwaite’s Wine.

“Just as Burgundy and Champagne are very well known terms for colours it’s now time for quality English sparkling wine to take centre stage,” said David Thatcher, CEO of Laithwaite’s Wine at the time.

“Creating an official colour is a great way of acknowledging the ever-growing popularity of the English wine industry around the world”.