Empress 1908 Gin - Small Batch Distilled - All Natural - 70cl

Product Information

The palate has a hint of rose early. If you’re looking for an overtly floral gin— this isn’t it. Ripe, boiled grapefruit, resinous juniper cones take hold mid-palate. Towards the finish, earthy coriander, green tea, and bulky, dry cinnamon (with no red hot character) stew on the edges of the palate. Radiant heat from the base spirit gives these notes some length— but warmth is the primary character that remains after sipping. Commenting on the gin’s key botanicals, Lecours said, “Besides the obvious juniper, I think there is more in the balance of all the botanicals in our recipes, as opposed to just one single flavor that stands out.” Empress 1908 Gin is rather by the numbers as far as palate goes. The citrus is big and dominant, and for that reason I think it leans contemporary.

Classified as a super-premium gin, Empress 1908 is currently the number-one gin in Canada and the second-largest gin in the U.S. within the category. But just what makes a gin so premium? This is a gin-forward drink tempered by lemon and balanced by simple syrup. It is refreshing and flavorful, and relatively potent, so always drink responsibly. What Is Simple Syrup? Empress Gin is a beautiful indigo color, somewhere between purple and blue, that gets its all-natural color from being distilled with the blossoms of butterfly pea plants. While you might expect this gin to taste different or have floral notes, it still has the same citrus, juniper, and coriander notes that make gin such distinctive alcohol.Despite how large of an impact gin has on the spirits industry around the world, the juniper-based liquor still seems to be reduced to its Christmas tree-like tasting notes (even if we know it is so much more than that). Therefore, it can be difficult to persuade new or juniper-averse imbibers to give gin a go. To this, Lecours explained that Empress 1908 is “not your grandparents’ gin.” Shake without ice to foam the egg white. Add ice and shake to chill. Strain into a pretty glass and enjoy. What Is Empress 1908 Gin? The doors of the Fairmont Empress Hotel opened in 1908. It is situated in Victoria, British Columbia Canada and looks over the city’s renowned harbor. Empress 1908 Gin is named for and inspired by the hotel’s century plus of history.

While we often group Empress 1908 with other color-shifting or purple gins, Lecours sees it differently.

Oaken Gin

One of the talented minds behind Empress 1908 Indigo Gin says this modern juniper spirit is “not your grandparent’s gin.” (Photo: Empress 1908) Empress 1908 is produced by Canadian distillery Victoria Distillers in small-batch copper pot stills. There, it is made using a menagerie of flavorful ingredients, including grapefruit peel, ginger root, cinnamon, coriander and rose petal. Despite the color, don’t come to Empress 1908 Gin expecting something floral or violet-flavored. This is a mixing gin with a strong emphasis on showmanship. First things first: That vibrant blue liquid is gin — not violet liqueur, not sloe gin, not something from the planet Zebulon. It’s a straight gin colored to be blue, thanks to the addition of butterfly pea blossoms to the distillate. I don’t think of Empress 1908 Indigo Gin as just a color-changing gin. That is one of its attributes for sure, however, flavor and quality are what sets it apart. If the spirit in the bottle wasn’t great, we wouldn’t have the following we enjoy today.”

A forward earthiness from butterfly pea blossoms and Fairmont Empress House Tea blend, followed by robust citrus notes from grapefruit peel, delicate floral hints from rose petal and warm spice from ginger and cinnamon. AccoladesOnce mixed, gin sours should be consumed. You can keep pre-squeezed lemon juice and the simple syrup in the refrigerator, but the gin itself should be kept in the original bottle in a dry, dark, cool place.