Indigo Gin – Empress 1908

Empress 1908 Indigo Gin is an all-natural premium Canadian gin inspired by the famous afternoon tea at the Fairmont Empress hotel. Its indigo colour, which turns a soft pink with citrus or tonic, makes it instantly recognisable.

The house: Victoria Distillers

This gin is made by Victoria Distillers in Sidney, British Columbia, one of Canada’s oldest small-batch spirits companies. The waterfront distillery houses the copper pot stills. The Empress Hotel, built in 1908, is known for its Victorian architecture and its regal afternoon tea service: to create the gin, the team explored around twenty of the hotel’s teas before choosing its signature blend, Empress Blend. The distillery highlights sustainable production practices, including a geothermal cooling system.

Empress 1908 Indigo Gin

Eight botanicals go into it, including the Empress Blend tea. Six of them are macerated overnight before distillation; the Empress Blend tea and the butterfly pea blossom are infused after distillation, to preserve their delicate flavours and the gin’s signature indigo colour. It is bottled at 42.5% ABV in a 70 cl bottle.

Tasting notes

The producer describes a balanced citrus-and-spice palate, a light floral fragrance and a soft texture. The butterfly pea blossom infusion adds subtle earthy flavours. It is an approachable gin that appeals to a wide range of palates.

Cocktails and serving

The house signature is the Empress & Tonic: premium tonic water and a grapefruit garnish, which echoes the grapefruit peel in the gin. Watching the colour change is half the pleasure. The house also suggests the Empress 75, the Empress Negroni or the Empress Martini.

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