Empress Original Gin

Empress 1908 Original Gin is a 42.5% ABV small-batch gin from Victoria Distillers in British Columbia, and its most obvious feature is its colour. Butterfly pea blossom gives it a natural indigo tint, and the gin changes colour when it meets acid. Tonic or citrus juice turns it soft pink or violet. The botanical list is juniper, grapefruit peel, coriander, rose, cinnamon and ginger, plus Earl Grey tea, which comes from the Fairmont Empress hotel in Victoria. That puts it with the contemporary, citrus-and-floral gins more than the strictly juniper-forward London dry style. Expect juniper to stay present as the backbone, with grapefruit peel brightening the top, rose adding a light floral note, and tea and ginger giving a gentle dry, lightly spiced finish. Those are expectations from the botanical list, not measured tasting notes. The colour change suits a Gin & Tonic. Pour 50 ml over plenty of ice in a balloon glass or tall highball, then top with a clean, well-chilled tonic and let the drink shift from indigo toward pink as the tonic goes in. A wide ribbon of grapefruit peel echoes the botanicals, and a lemon wedge pushes the colour further toward violet. A Tom Collins works the same way: gin, fresh lemon juice, simple syrup and soda over ice in a highball. The lemon makes the colour change visible here as well. In a Martini, the gin keeps its indigo colour until it meets acid, so a stirred, nearly neat Martini with a dash of dry vermouth stays deep blue. A lemon twist garnish is the natural choice, and it will tint the surface slightly. The Negroni is a less obvious fit. The gin's floral and citrus character is softer than a classic London dry's, so use equal parts with Campari and sweet vermouth and expect a somewhat lighter, brighter drink. It will not turn pink the way a gin and tonic does, because the red Campari and vermouth dominate the colour. For any serve, chill the glass and use large, dense ice so the drink stays cold without diluting quickly. Garnishes that work well are grapefruit peel, lemon, or a small sprig of rosemary or thyme. If you want to show off the colour change at the table, pour the gin first and add the acidic mixer in front of your guests.