Empress 1908 Original Gin

Empress 1908 Original Gin shines brightest in classic gin cocktails or simply over ice with quality tonic, and its warm spice notes from star anise and sarsaparilla make it a natural fit for cooler autumn evenings paired with charcuterie boards, aged cheeses, or dishes with earthy, savory flavors.

Nose: Clean and inviting, with juniper taking a back seat to let citrus lead. Fresh lemon peel comes through first, followed by a softer orange blossom quality. Underneath, there's a warm, root-like earthiness from the sarsaparilla and a faint whisper of star anise that adds a subtle licorice sweetness without overpowering.

Palate: Fuller-bodied than most gins, with a texture that feels almost creamy mid-palate. The citrus brightness carries through from the nose, while the star anise opens up with a gentle warmth. Sarsaparilla adds a soft, almost velvety weight that makes this feel more substantial than a typical London Dry. Juniper stays present but restrained — more of a piney backdrop than a defining flavor.

Finish: Medium-long and warming, with spice notes lingering alongside a dry citrus pith quality. The anise fades slowly, leaving a clean, slightly earthy aftertaste. Well-balanced, with nothing sharp or harsh on the way out.

Empress 1908 Original Gin is crafted by distilling ten botanicals — including juniper, lemon and orange peel, star anise, and sarsaparilla root — and blending the result with pure Canadian water, a process that mirrors the patience and precision of fine whisky-making rather than the lighter touch typical of most gins.

• Sarsaparilla — yes, the same root that gave old-fashioned root beer its signature flavor — is one of the ten botanicals in Empress 1908 Original Gin. It adds a velvety, almost weightless quality to the spirit that you can actually feel on your palate, which is something most gins simply don't have. It's a nod to the apothecary-style herbalism of the early 1900s, and it's one of the reasons this gin drinks more like a finely aged whisky than a typical botanical spirit.
• Vic
• Victoria Distillers didn't just throw ten botanicals into a pot and call it a day — Empress 1908 Original Gin was actually the very foundation that launched one of Canada's most celebrated premium gin lines. Before the now-iconic color-changing Indigo Gin took the cocktail world by storm, this original recipe was quietly setting the standard for what a serious Canadian craft gin could be. Think of it as the well-kept secret that started it all.
• The botanical recipe in Empress 1908 Original Gin is so intentionally layered that both lemon and orange peel are used — but for completely different reasons. The lemon peel brings sharp, bright citrus punch (mostly from the bitter pith), while the orange peel pulls in a softer, sweeter, almost floral quality. Two citrus fruits, two totally different jobs, one remarkably balanced gin. Most distillers pick one or the other; using both with such distinct purpose is a quietly genius move.