Empress 1908 Cucumber Lemon Gin 750ML

Empress 1908 Cucumber Lemon Gin 750ML is a small-batch Canadian craft gin bottled at 42.5% ABV (85 proof) that foregrounds cucumber and lemon botanicals over a juniper backbone. Rated 92 points by Tastings.com and awarded an A+ from Good Spirits News, this expression stands as the first completely clear and colorless release in the Empress 1908 lineup — a deliberate departure from the brand's signature butterfly pea flower color-changing gins.

Quick Facts: ABV: 42.5%  |  Origin: Sidney, British Columbia, Canada  |  Style: Botanical Gin (Cucumber & Lemon)  |  Distillery: Victoria Distillers

Production & Heritage

Victoria Distillers, based in the seaside town of Sidney on Vancouver Island, produces the Empress 1908 range in partnership with the historic Fairmont Empress Hotel. The Cucumber Lemon expression is handcrafted in traditional copper pot stills using eight botanicals — juniper berries, cucumber, fresh lemon zest, jasmine, star anise, and additional supporting aromatics. Unlike every other Empress 1908 gin, this bottling omits butterfly pea flower entirely, stripping away the famous indigo-to-pink color shift in favor of a crystal-clear spirit that puts the cucumber and citrus character front and center without visual distraction.

Tasting Notes

Aroma: The nose opens with an immediate rush of cool cucumber, almost spa-like in its freshness. Behind that initial vegetal brightness sit layers of lemon zest, pink grapefruit peel, and a subtle green herbal quality reminiscent of zucchini blossoms.

Taste: On the palate, cucumber dominates the entry — brightly vegetal and crisp rather than watery. The mid-palate shifts toward candied lemon peel and a rounder, juicier orange citrus note, while juniper stays restrained, providing structural backbone rather than leading the conversation. A balanced, airy sweetness keeps the profile from veering too dry, finishing with a lemonade-like brightness that holds everything together.

Finish: The finish is medium in length, clean, and refreshingly dry with lingering cucumber coolness and a trace of orange zest and mineral salt. There is no bitterness or heat — just an effortless fade that invites another sip.

How to Drink Empress Cucumber Lemon

Served neat or over a single large ice cube, this gin rewards attention — the cucumber emerges more dramatically as the spirit opens up at slightly lower temperatures. Its bright, produce-forward profile also makes it an exceptional cocktail base. A Gin & Tonic with a quality Indian tonic and a cucumber ribbon lets the botanical character shine without competition. A Cucumber Collins plays to the gin's natural lemon and cucumber strengths, requiring almost no additional garnish to feel complete. And a Gimlet works beautifully here because the lime juice amplifies the citrus notes while the cucumber adds a refreshing dimension rarely found in that classic serve.

Best For

• Summer entertaining where guests gravitate toward lighter, refreshing spirits
• Gifting a gin enthusiast who already knows the classic Empress 1908 and wants to explore the range
• Building a home bar with distinctive, cocktail-versatile craft gins
• Introducing someone who finds traditional juniper-heavy gins too assertive to a more approachable style

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Empress Cucumber Lemon taste like? The dominant flavors are fresh cucumber and bright lemon citrus, supported by restrained juniper and a touch of airy sweetness. It drinks clean and crisp with a spa-water freshness that sets it apart from classic London Dry–style gins.

How does Empress Cucumber Lemon compare to Hendrick's Gin? Both gins feature cucumber as a defining botanical, but Empress Cucumber Lemon leans more aggressively into cucumber and lemon while keeping juniper in the background, whereas Hendrick's balances its cucumber-rose signature with a more pronounced juniper and floral character. Empress Cucumber Lemon is also bottled at a slightly higher ABV (42.5% vs. Hendrick's 41.4%) and carries a distinctly citrus-forward profile that Hendrick's does not emphasize.

Is Empress Cucumber Lemon good for cocktails? Its bright cucumber-citrus character and balanced 42.5% ABV make it an excellent cocktail gin, particularly in warm-weather serves like Collins variations, Gin & Tonics, and spritzes where freshness is the priority.

Where is Empress Cucumber Lemon made? It is distilled by Victoria Distillers in Sidney, British Columbia, on Canada's Vancouver Island. The distillery produces the full Empress 1908 range in small batches using copper pot stills.

What foods pair well with Empress Cucumber Lemon? Fresh oysters or ceviche complement the gin's cool cucumber notes. Grilled shrimp with lemon butter echoes the citrus profile. Light salads with goat cheese and herbs mirror the green, vegetal character. Smoked salmon on crostini works well with the gin's subtle saline quality. And sushi — particularly lighter fish like yellowtail — pairs naturally with the clean, refreshing finish.

What sizes does Empress Cucumber Lemon come in? The standard widely available format is the 750ml bottle.

Is Empress Cucumber Lemon worth the price? It positions as a premium craft gin, sitting above mass-market bottles but within the range of other respected small-batch distillery releases. The 92-point Tastings.com score and A+ from Good Spirits News suggest the quality supports its price tier, especially for drinkers who value cucumber-forward profiles and small-batch copper-pot distillation.

Why Empress Cucumber Lemon?

This is the only expression in the Empress 1908 lineup that deliberately abandons the butterfly pea flower that made the brand famous — a bold move that signals confidence in the liquid itself. The 92-point score from Tastings.com and A+ from Good Spirits News validate that confidence with critical recognition. Where most cucumber gins treat the botanical as a supporting player, Victoria Distillers pushes it to center stage here, backed by a generous dose of fresh lemon zest and precise copper-pot distillation at a sturdy 42.5% ABV. For drinkers who want the craft credentials and small-batch quality of the Empress 1908 range without the color-changing spectacle, this clear expression makes a compelling case on flavor alone.