Bombay Sapphire’s Project Botanicals returns in 2015 with some of Melbourne’s best bars invited to create gin-inspired cocktails exclusive to the three week event.

After a successful campaign last year, Bombay Sapphire’s pop-up bar and restaurant will showcase 10 exclusive gin cocktails, matched to 10 inventive, complementary tapas-style dishes.

The five most popular combinations from last year will remain on the menu, however, Bombay Sapphire reached out to some of Melbourne’s best bartenders to create the remaining five cocktails, with the aim being to not only push the boundaries in terms of flavour combinations, but to create an interesting scope for the kitchen team to match an interesting dish.

The bars with winning cocktail concoctions are a mix of industry stalwarts and newcomers with Black Pearl, Eau De Vie, 1806, Union Electric and Gin Palace all taking a spot on the menu.

Also exclusive to Project Botanicals will be the first chance to sample Bombay Sapphire’s new super premium gin the Star of Bombay, which has been described by the company as “the most complex and smooth tasting gin yet.”

The menu has been composed by Chef Gary Mehigan for a second time, with the MasterChef judge saying that he is excited to be involved again, after the success of the last event.

“We’ve taken on board what the patrons loved last year to create five new bold, textured and exciting dishes that I know everyone will love,” he says.

Just one paired item, of the 10 dish menu, is the inventive Eau De Vie’s ‘Eastern Coriander Fix’ cocktail – Bombay Sapphire, fresh lime and pineapple juice, coriander syrup, Fever Tree soda water infused with Sencha tea and served with a dehydrated orange wedge – which has been paired with a dish of crispy fried pork belly, chilli caramel and pickled daikon radish.

The pop-up event will be held from 24 June, 2015 at the 64 Sutton Street warehouse space in North Melbourne. Sittings are available from 6pm-1am Wednesday to Saturday. Tickets are $45 per person (includes two cocktails and two matched dishes) and are now available for purchase at www.projectbotanicals.com.

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