A Bombay Sapphire ‘explosion’ of flavours at ‘Sips’

What does the Pavillion at the Terra Nova All-Suite Hotel, Bombay Sapphire, courtesy of CPJ Beverages, CB Foods and a shiny new Mercedes-Benz GLC300 Coupe have in common?

Afternoon tea at one of the Jamaica Food and Drink Festival lead-up events, Sips: A Boozy Tea Affair.

Guests checked in promptly for the 3 pm outing, stylishly outfitted in tea-apropos attire. Some made a beeline to the Bombay Sapphire bar for a taste of gin – the buzzword of the afternoon. Others opted to start with iced tea, courtesy of Caribbean Dreams’ Noni Bliss and Boozy Blueberry Boozy Tea options.

Drink options were plentiful, with four cocktails, all infused with the signature Bombay Sapphire liquor.

There was the Bombay Chai Iced Tea, the kind of drink you smell before you taste it – it was a smooth blend of charred and dehydrated spices that enhanced the flavours of the Chai Tea, cinnamon, and ginger elements.

‘Deviation’ may have been responsible for all the gin converts of the evening. The dry vermouth, lavender syrup, lime juice, and egg-white concoction was topped off with Bombay Gin and garnished with a fresh sprig of rosemary and a scatter of lavender seeds. It was as pretty a cocktail as it was delicious.

The ‘Laverstoke’ was a contender for best spritz. It was fresh and citrusy, not very sweet, but delightfully sultry. Think Long Island Iced Tea’s wealthy cousin from Aspen, ergo a perfect cool-down drink, that tasted smooth and earthy. The ingredients comprised a heavy-handed pour of ginger ale mixed in with the St-Germain Elderflower Liqueur, a slice of ginger, a splash of Martini Bianco, lime wedges and Bombay Sapphire.

And, while there’s nary a gin party without the gin and tonic, the ‘Bombay & Tonic’ provided the classic flavours of the world-famous cocktail for those who opted for familiarity.

CPJ Brand Manager - Premium Spirits Shereika Myers raised a toast to kick off the high tea festivities at the Terra Nova All-Suite Hotel. She stood next to the Mercedes-Benz GLC300 Coupe, a visual treat for high tea guests. (Photos: Contributed)

The gin dialogue was orchestrated by CPJ Brand Manager Shereika Myers, who manages the premium spirits portfolio. She’s not just a gin lover, but also very passionate about her product and expects patrons to leave with gin-infused cocktails on their minds.

She was keen on sharing the gin experience with guests and in an interview told Loop News that ‘…a lot of people don’t know how great Juniper – the main ingredient in gin – can blend with other flavours.’ It’s not the go-to libation choice for many Jamaicans, but Myers wishes to change that.

‘I really want people to know that gin is diverse. Bombay Sapphire is a premium brand under my portfolio, so we wanted to showcase those diversities with four cocktails, using the Bombay Bramble and Bombay Sapphire gins.’

Gin talk aside, DJ Rio set the tone with expert live mixes, delivered on time and in sync. And while he provided a distraction for cocktails and conversations, it wasn’t long before guests settled and joined the buffet line for the award-winning Terra Nova fare.

Petit four and fresh fruit tartlets, the moreish seafood and grape salad and Terra Nova avocado salad, deviled eggs, salmon pinwheels, ham and cheese and pepper jelly sandwiches, and coconut shrimp with a pineapple rum sauce is only a smidgen of te the scrumptious high tea offerings.

With the countdown to JFDF’s main event fast approaching, Sips provided a peak into the exciting preview of what’s to come at the 2024 staging of the Jamaica Food & Drink Festival, November 7-10.

To further sweeten the deal, Visa, the festival's presenting sponsor, is offering cardholders an exclusive presale of festival tickets at special discounted rates. It’s a great opportunity to secure tickets early and enjoy discounts for the JFDF.

Other event backers included the Terra Nova All-Suite Hotel, Serge, Gold Seal Flour, Caribbean Dreams, and Häagen-Dazs.

Next on the pre-festival lineup is Saveur, which takes place on October 6, at Broken Plate, where a multi-course, wine-tasting offering awaits.

Organisers are promising new iterations of traditional festival favourites, bold flavours, momentous occasions and a remarkable celebration of the Jamaican culinary scene.