Review: Empress 1908 Gin, Complete Lineup (Updated 2026)
Review: Empress 1908 Gin, Complete Lineup (Updated 2026)
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.
Why make a blue gin? The British Columbia-based distillery explains:
Victoria Distillers introduced Empress 1908 Gin in June 2017. Inspired by the tea and cocktail programs of the Fairmont Empress Hotel, Empress 1908 Gin is micro-distilled in small batch copper-pot stills and hand-crafted using eight signature botanicals: tea [the Fairmont Empress’s own blend], juniper, rose, coriander seed, grapefruit peel, ginger root, cinnamon bark, and butterfly pea blossom. The butterfly pea blossom, which they discovered in one of the Empress Hotel tea blends, imbues the gin with distinctive earthy notes and a vivid indigo hue. Drinking Empress 1908 Gin is a one-of-a-kind cocktail experience. Enhanced with the simple addition of citrus or tonic, Empress 1908 Gin reveals a beautiful secret – the transformation of its color from deep indigo to a soft pink.
Update: We’re adding coverage of Empress 1908’s line extensions to this review and will continue to update it over time.
Empress 1908 Gin Review
Let’s put the color aside for a moment and taste the gin on its own. Despite the striking color, the nose approximates a London Dry, heavy with juniper, though the rose petal note is evident alongside a layer of earthier elements. The palate is quite dry — as the mind immediately runs to fruit flavors due to the color, and the tea gives it an earthier, more savory palate than expected. Powdered ginger makes for a strong secondary flavor. The finish brings back a reprise of juniper, albeit restrained, and notes of eucalyptus and an unusual chocolate character which is tough to peg on any of the ingredients in the infusion.
All told it’s a fine gin, but the big story is of course the striking impact of the color. Use it to make the most unusual martini of all time, or, better yet, try it in a drink like the Aviation, where you can add a purple/pink hue without much (or any) creme de violette — a liqueur which adds a heavily floral element that some drinkers find unpleasant. Report back! 85 proof. Aka Empress 1908 Indigo Gin.
B+ / $30 [BUY IT NOW FROM FROOTBAT]
Empress 1908 Elderflower Rose Gin Review
As with the Indigo, this is another striking gin, now dark ruby in hue, and again, the color derives naturally from striking botanical choices: black carrot, cinnamon, coriander, elderflower, juniper, lavender, orange peel, orris root, and rose petals. The dark red color might suggest a sweeter gin, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. This is a very dry, botanicals-driven gin. The nose shows burnt orange peel, cinnamon, pine, and rose petals.
The palate follows suit nicely and shows additional complexity. Lavender shows up early along with floral notes, followed by cinnamon, pine, and black pepper. Midpalate introduces a bit of black licorice as well as elderflower, which lingers in the long finish. It doesn’t play very well with vermouth in a martini, but it was delicious and very attractive in a gin & tonic. I think I liked it best with just an ice cube, letting the gin’s complex layers of flavor play across the tongue. 85 proof. -RL
A- / $34 [BUY IT NOW FROM FROOTBAT]
Empress 1908 Cucumber Lemon Gin Review
Empress 1908 and Victoria Distillers are releasing a third Empress offering, Cucumber Lemon. This one is, somewhat surprisingly, classically clear in color (or “water white” as professional spirits critics might say).
Keeping with the original Indigo expression’s inspiration, this latest Empress gin is inspired by flavors accompanying a proper English afternoon tea service. Specifically, the gin bill features eight botanicals including juniper berries, lemon, jasmine, star anise, cucumber, and lemon zest. The last two remain a mystery, at least to me. Thoughts follow.
Like the flagship Indigo offering, the aroma here initially approximates a classic London Dry with a foundation of juicy juniper berry and pine branches. Top notes of freshly squeezed lemon juice sweeten almost to limoncello and build with time in the glass before adding fresh cut cucumber slices. It doesn’t take long for the juniper to become something of an afterthought. On the palate, the juniper is even more restrained, buried under layers of lemonade, candied lemon peel, and muddled cucumber. It’s all quite bright and fresh with a balanced, airy sweetness that lingers on the gently peppered finish with hints of clove and lemon zest. Almost no need for the citrus in this G&T. Other more elaborate cocktail possibilities abound. 85 proof. -DB
A- / $40 [BUY IT NOW FROM FROOTBAT]
Empress 1908 0.0 Indigo Gin Review
This is the N/A version of Empress 1908, made with a natural botanical blend including juniper, grapefruit, and butterfly pea flower. The vibrant purple hue of the original is intact. The alcohol is not. The product does not seem to be distilled at all but is rather a blend of flavoring (and coloring) agents, water, and cane sugar.
The nose of the product is indistinct and heavily herbal-bitter, with a strong terpene-like character reminiscent of a hemp seltzer. Elements of licorice and chamomile provide even more of an earthy quality as the gin sits in glass for a bit. On the palate, the same earthy elements dominate, but they’re backed by a sharp edge of citrus peel evoking grapefruit and blood orange. This fortunately helps to brighten up the spirit, giving the finish a fruity quality that ultimately made me think of blueberries — though I know that’s the color of the gin messing with my mind. A peppery finish stands in for the loss of alcohol.
All told the spirit is quite mild and can even hold up in a cocktail to a certain extent, though you’ll want to stick with stronger mixers like lemonade or ginger beer. Those looking for the biting juniper rush of a real gin may find this a bit of a letdown.
B- / $35
Empress 1908 Gin
USD30
This gin makes a fine Aviation cocktail! The color is striking, although much more purple in tone than a typical baby-blue version.
My issue with this gin is the natural pH balance is wrong to achieve the full impact of the color change. If you infuse your own low pH balance gin (Bombay Sapphire, Plymouth) you get an actual striking color change. Adding citrus or soda/tonic to Empress gin just results in a slightly lighter colored cocktail. To me not, not worth the extra dollars for a gimmick.