7 Excellent Empress Gin co*cktails with Recipes | co*cktail Society (2024)

By Timo Torner/ Last updated on May 7, 2023

Empress Gin co*cktails is best known for its colorful appearance. The blue gin carries hints of rose, grapefruit, and juniper, which work exceptionally well in these drink recipes.

7 Excellent Empress Gin co*cktails with Recipes | co*cktail Society (1)

The most common of Empress Gin Drinks is aGin and Tonic. One simple reason for that is that this Highball is the most famous gin drink, in general. Another factor is that in combination with acidic ingredients (like tonic water), Empress changes its color from dark blue/purple to bright pink - and tonic is acidic.

But Empress isn't limited to G&Ts. Its quite classic flavor profile makes it a great ingredient in many gin-based co*cktail recipes.

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Our Top 7 Empress Gin co*cktails

Here's a list of fantastic blue and purple co*cktails you can easily make at home with the color-changing gin:

1. Empress Gin & Tonic

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Ingredients:

  • 2 oz Empress Gin
  • 6 oz Tonic Water (e.g. Elderflower tonic water)
  • 1 dash of Orange bitters

Instructions:Pour the Gin into a Highball glass filled with ice and top it with chilled elderflower tonic water. Add orange bitters and gently stir the drink before serving.

We're starting with the classiest option: a colorful G&T. Use the classic ratio of three parts tonic water per one part gin. Empress works extremely well with slightly floral or citrusy tonic water.

Our recommendation is Fever-Tree elderflower tonic water. This tonic is a bit sweeter than your standard bottles. Thus, we prefer to add a dash of orange bitters to the mix to balance the sweet flavors with some bittersweet citrus notes.

2. Lavender Martini

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Ingredients:

  • 2.5 oz Empress Gin
  • 0.5 oz Dry Vermouth
  • 0.5 oz Homemade lavender syrup
  • 2 dashes of Orange bitters

Instructions:Simply put all ingredients into a co*cktail shaker filled with ice and shake for about 10 seconds. Strain the co*cktail into a coupe glass and garnish with a lavender sprig.

Empress also works well in traditional recipes like a Dry Martini. But to spice things up, our Lavender Martini recipe also includes some lavender syrup and orange bitters to the mix.

Since we add floral syrup to the recipe, you want to shake this drink on ice instead of stirring it.

3. Pink Empress Gin Sour

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Ingredients:

  • 2 oz Empress Gin
  • 1 oz Fresh lemon juice
  • 0.5 oz Gomme syrup or simple syrup

Instructions:Combine all ingredients in a co*cktail shaker filled with ice. Shake the drink vigorously for 10 seconds and then strain it into an ice-filled glass.

A classic Gin Sour is one of the best Gin-based co*cktails. When making it with Empress Gin, the drink will turn out bright pink instead of the usual yellowish version.

For a richer mouthfeel, I prefer gomme syrup in this recipe. If you don't have this at home, you can also use a rich simple syrup or a standard sugar syrup of your choice.

4. Amethyst Negroni

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Ingredients:

  • 1.5 oz Empress Gin
  • 1.25 oz Sweet Vermouth
  • 1.25 oz Campari

Instructions:add all ingredients into a mixing glass filled with ice and stir the drink until it's well-chilled. Strain over ice into a rocks glass and garnish as preferred; -the traditional option would be an orange peel.

The Amethyst Negroni got its name from its striking color. The flavor of this twist is pretty standard because it includes the same ingredients you will find in a classic Negroni recipe.

To emphasize the Gin's flavors, though, we slightly increased the ratio of the Gin. If this is too Gin-forward for your taste buds, you can adjust to equal amounts of Gin, Campari, and Vermouth.

5. Empress Negroni

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Ingredients:

  • 1.5 oz Empress Gin
  • 0.75 oz Dry Vermouth
  • 0.75 oz Luxardo bitter bianco

Instructions:Like our Amethyst Negroni, this drink is made in a mixing glass. Pour all ingredients in with plenty of ice and stir until the co*cktail is chilled. Then strain over ice into a co*cktail glass.

This one is another Negroni riff, yet this time of a White Negroni. Empress Gin, Dry Vermouth, and Luxardo bitter Bianco make for a bittersweet drink with a beautiful color.

6. Purple Gin Fizz

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Ingredients:

  • 1.5 oz Empress Gin
  • 0.75 oz Lemon juice
  • 0.5 oz Rich syrup (2:1 ratio of sugar to water)
  • 1 egg white
  • Soda water

Instructions:add gin, lemon juice, rich syrup, and egg white into a co*cktail shaker and vigorously shake for 15 seconds without ice. Add ice and shake again for a few seconds. Strain into a Highball glass and top with ice-cold soda water.

This bright pink-colored Gin Fizz variation is a tasty and refreshing co*cktail with an eye-catching color. The addition of rich syrup instead of simple syrup in combination with egg white creates a velvety, smooth, and rich mouthfeel.

The freshness of lemon juice and chilled sparkling water make this drink a nice thirst quencher.

7. Empress French 75

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Ingredients:

  • 1.5 oz Empress Gin
  • 0.5 oz Fresh lemon juice
  • 1 bsp Simple syrup
  • 2.5 oz Champagne

Instructions:combine Empress Gin, lemon juice, and syrup in your co*cktail shaker filled with ice. Shake until it's chilled, and then strain into a Champagne flute. Top up the drink with chilled Champagne or another sparkling wine of your choice.Cheers!

This colorful twist on the traditional French 75 recipe is an easy-to-make and elegant drink. It's sweet, tangy, and super refreshing.

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7 Excellent Empress Gin co*cktails with Recipes | co*cktail Society (2024)

FAQs

Why is Empress gin so good? ›

Distilled in copper-pot stills, Empress 1908 Gin contains eight signature botanicals, including exotic butterfly pea blossom, discovered in a tea blend served at the Empress Hotel in Victoria, B.C. These blossoms impart a warm herbal earthiness, soft texture, and deep indigo colour.

What turns empress gin pink? ›

Empress 1908 Gin is a beautiful indigo blue in the bottle and when it is mixed with tonic or citrus, it turns pink.

What's the difference between Empress gin and regular gin? ›

While most gins on the market use citrus botanicals like lemon or orange in their blends, Empress is made with grapefruit peel instead. According to the brand, the ingredient provides a distinct aromatic experience and bittersweet herbal notes that pair well with gin's preferred mixer, tonic.

Should you refrigerate Empress gin? ›

The best place to keep gin is in fact the fridge, according to the experts - especially if you don't have any ice to keep your spirit cool. A master distiller of gin told Good Housekeeping that gin is best served cold, so bottles should be kept in the fridge if you're expecting to drink them imminently.

Does empress gin go bad? ›

No artificial colours or stabilizers are used in its creation — so while the flavour will last forever, its unique hue will not. Fading of the natural colour is accelerated by exposure to sunlight. We recommend that you experience each bottle within a year of purchase and store in a cool, dark place.

What is the royal approved gin? ›

In 1925 Gordon's Gin was awarded its first Royal Warrant by King George V. The years 1941 and 1952 saw Gordon's receive two more Royal Warrants from HM King George VI and HM Queen Elizabeth II respectively. Today Gordon's is the world's best selling premium gin.

What is the secret ingredient in gin? ›

The secret

Most Gins contain next to Juniper berry and citrus botanicals such as lemon and bitter orange peel, anise, angelica root and seed, orris root, liquorice root, cinnamon, cubeb, savoury, lime peel, grapefruit peel, dragon eye, saffron, baobab, frankincense, coriander, nutmeg and cassia bark.

What can I mix with Empress gin to change color? ›

Easy: Purple 75

Instructions: In a co*cktail shaker with ice, combine an ounce and a half of Empress 1908, half an ounce of fresh lemon juice, and half an ounce of simple syrup. Shake until well chilled, then strain into a flute. Top with two and a half ounces of sparkling wine and garnish with a small edible flower.

Why did my empress gin turn blue? ›

So if you add acid, say lemon juice, to Empress Gin, it will become a beautiful red-pink colour. And if you add something basic to it, like cucumber, it will turn blue. President and Master Distiller, Peter Hunt, recounts bringing the new gin to market at Victoria's 2017 Art of the co*cktail.

What is the strongest gin in the world? ›

Anno Extreme 95 Gin packs more punch and flavour, drop for drop, than any other spirit in the world. Being the world's strongest gin - just a 5ml measure gives you a full flavoured G&T with 75% less alcohol than a 50ml measure of 40% ABV gin. Comes in a presentation box with a measuring beaker included.

What is the most Flavourful gin? ›

Our top 10 picks
  • Gyre & Gimble Queen of Hearts Cherry Gin. ...
  • Chase Seville Marmalade Gin. ...
  • Berkshire Rhubarb and Raspberry Gin. ...
  • Beefeater Pink Strawberry Gin. ...
  • Tanqueray Flor de Sevilla Gin. 70cl / 41.3% ...
  • Broken Bones Sloe Gin. 50cl / 33% ...
  • Incognito Strawberry and Raspberry Pink Gin. 70cl / 40% ...
  • Sibling Winter Edition Gin. 70cl / 38%

Why does Empress Gin turn blue? ›

Empress gin has a dark blueish-purple hue that comes from a unique source: the butterfly pea blossom. Butterfly pea flower infusion changes the Empress 1908 gin to purple and will also change to various shades of pink and light lavender depending on the mixer.

Why is Japanese gin so good? ›

Botanicals, mainly. The most common choice to signal 'Japaneseness' is yuzu. Almost any Japanese gin worth its salt will contain a dose of this lumpen and thick-skinned citrus that resembles both an orange and a lemon. Its flavour is at once familiar and faintly different, thanks to its perfumed floral edge.

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