Empress 1908 Indigo Gin
Eight botanicals, and one of them is a flower that dyes the glass blue. That flower is butterfly pea blossom.
Empress 1908 distils Indigo Gin in copper pot stills. The brand page lists black tea from the Fairmont Empress Hotel, juniper, grapefruit peel, and whole rosebud from India among the eight. The tea blend itself draws on Assam, Kenya, South India, Ceylon, and China. Sizes on the page are 750 mL and 1 L.
The stills sit in Sidney, British Columbia, at Victoria Distillers. Milestone Brands of Austin, Texas bought that distillery in June 2022. The liquid is made in Canada. The company that owns the brand is not.
No artificial colour is used. Sunlight fades the indigo, so the brand says to keep the bottle cool and dark. The hue shifts toward pink when the drink meets citrus.
Product Highlights
- •Eight botanicals, one of them a blue flower
- •Hotel tea blend in the botanical bill
- •Distilled in copper pot stills in Sidney, B.C.
- •750 mL and 1 L sizes
- •Colour shifts when mixed with citrus
Category
Our Canadian score
Some Canadian ties
Empress 1908 Indigo Gin is distilled in Sidney, British Columbia. Milestone Brands of Austin, Texas has owned the distillery since June 2022.
Score breakdown (85% evidenced, high confidence)
“Distilled in copper-pot stills, Empress 1908 Gin contains eight signature botanicals”
“this blend is a selection of seasonal, quality teas from Assam, Kenya, South India, Ceylon, and China”
“Milestone Brands LLC, the premium spirits company based in Austin, Texas, today announced that it has acquired Victoria Distillers Inc”
This score is our own read of publicly available evidence, not a regulatory finding. It is not a CFIA or Competition Bureau origin determination, and it is not the same as the "Product of Canada" or "Made in Canada" claims a manufacturer prints on a label. Check the package if you need the official claim. How we score
Key Facts
- Distilled
- Sidney, British Columbia
- Botanicals
- Eight, including butterfly pea blossom
- Tea
- Fairmont Empress blend
- Rose
- Whole rosebud from India
- Sizes
- 750 mL and 1 L
- Owner
- Milestone Brands, Austin, Texas
Where to Buy
Product Information
Ingredients
Eight botanicals, including juniper, grapefruit peel, rosebud from India, Fairmont Empress black tea, and butterfly pea blossom. Corn base spirit, country not named.
Dietary Information
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Empress 1908 Indigo Gin made in Canada?
The still house is in Sidney, on Vancouver Island. Empress 1908 Indigo Gin is made there. The owner, Milestone Brands, is based in Austin, Texas.
Why is Empress 1908 Indigo Gin blue?
Butterfly pea blossom gives Empress 1908 Indigo Gin its blue. The brand says it uses no artificial colour. Citrus in the glass can shift the hue toward pink.
How many botanicals are in Empress 1908 Indigo Gin?
Eight botanicals go into Empress 1908 Indigo Gin. Named ones include juniper, grapefruit peel, Indian rosebud, hotel black tea, and the pea flower that dyes it.
Where does the tea in Empress 1908 Indigo Gin come from?
Empress 1908 uses the hotel's own black tea blend, packed by Metropolitan Tea Company. The leaf comes from several tea regions in India, plus Kenya, Sri Lanka, and China.
What sizes does Empress 1908 Indigo Gin come in?
The product page offers a standard bottle and a one-litre bottle. Empress 1908 Indigo Gin should sit somewhere dark, because sunlight fades the pea-flower colour.
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