Empress 1908 Elderflower Rose Gin 750ML

Empress 1908 Elderflower Rose Gin 750ML is a naturally ruby-hued Canadian craft gin bottled at 42.5% ABV (85 proof) and distilled in small batches from nine botanicals. Scored 87 points by Tastings.com, this expression distinguishes itself through its jewel-toned color derived entirely from red rose petals and black carrot — no artificial dyes involved.

Quick Facts: ABV: 42.5%  |  Origin: British Columbia, Canada  |  Style: Floral Botanical Gin  |  Distillery: Victoria Distillers

Production & Heritage

Victoria Distillers, based in the seaside town of Sidney, British Columbia, produces this gin in copper pot stills using a small-batch approach. The botanical bill includes juniper berries, rose petals, elderflower, lavender, orange peel, orris root, cinnamon, coriander, and black carrot. While the original Empress 1908 Indigo Gin draws its famous color from butterfly pea blossom, this Elderflower Rose expression achieves its distinctive ruby tone through the infusion of vibrant red rose petals and black carrot. That natural pigment will gradually fade with sunlight exposure, and the distillery recommends consuming an opened bottle within one year to enjoy its full visual and aromatic character.

Tasting Notes

Aroma: Elderflower leads the nose immediately, layered with lavender, rose water, and bitter orange peel. Beneath the floral bouquet, juniper and coriander provide a grounding herbal backbone.

Taste: The palate opens with pronounced elderflower and rose petal, arriving early and maintaining a steady presence throughout. Mid-palate brings coriander spice, orris root earthiness, and robust black pepper, with a hint of cinnamon adding warmth. The body is satiny and dry, landing in the light-to-medium range with more weight and roundness than its delicate appearance suggests.

Finish: A lingering interplay of juniper, lavender, and lemon pith carries through on a dry, clean finish. Subtle mint and thyme notes appear late, leaving an herbal signature that fades gradually.

How to Drink Empress Elderflower Rose

Neat or over a single large ice cube, this gin rewards slow sipping — the floral complexity reveals itself as the spirit opens up. A splash of tonic and a thin grapefruit wheel makes a striking G&T that showcases the elderflower and rose. A French 75 benefits from the gin's floral-forward character, replacing herbal sharpness with a perfumed elegance alongside champagne and lemon. A Bee's Knees pairs the elderflower and lavender notes beautifully with honey syrup, amplifying the gin's natural sweetness. A Clover Club leans into the berry and rose tones, where raspberry syrup harmonizes with the black carrot and rose petal undertones.

Best For

• Gifting a gin enthusiast who already owns the classic Empress Indigo
• Building a visually dramatic cocktail menu for a dinner party
• Exploring floral gins beyond London Dry styles
• Springtime or garden-party entertaining where presentation matters

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Empress Elderflower Rose taste like? It leads with prominent elderflower and rose petal, supported by juniper, coriander spice, and a surprising earthy depth from orris root. The body is satiny and dry with hints of black pepper, cinnamon, and lavender throughout.

How does Empress Elderflower Rose compare to Empress 1908 Indigo Gin? Both share Victoria Distillers' copper pot still production and a core botanical foundation of juniper, coriander, and citrus peel, but the Elderflower Rose expression replaces butterfly pea blossom with rose petals and black carrot, shifting the color from indigo to ruby and the flavor profile toward a more overtly floral and peppery character. The Indigo leans slightly more citrus-forward, while the Elderflower Rose puts elderflower and rose at center stage.

Is Empress Elderflower Rose good for cocktails? Its floral intensity and dry, medium-weight body make it an excellent cocktail gin, particularly in drinks that benefit from elderflower or rose notes — think French 75s, Clover Clubs, or any tonic-based serve where visual drama adds value.

Where is Empress Elderflower Rose made? It is distilled at Victoria Distillers in Sidney, British Columbia, Canada, a coastal distillery on Vancouver Island known for its small-batch approach to gin production.

What foods pair well with Empress Elderflower Rose? Soft goat cheese with honey complements the elderflower and lavender notes. Smoked salmon mirrors the gin's earthy undertones. Lemon tarts echo the citrus pith on the finish. Berry-topped pavlova or meringue aligns with the rose petal character. Herb-crusted chicken brings out the juniper and coriander spice.

What sizes does Empress Elderflower Rose come in? The standard offering is a 750ml bottle, which is the most widely available format for this expression.

Is Empress Elderflower Rose worth the price? It positions as a premium craft gin within the broader botanical gin category, and the all-natural color, nine-botanical recipe, and small-batch copper pot distillation place it above standard shelf gins in both complexity and production quality — competitive value for what it delivers.

Why Empress Elderflower Rose?

The defining feature here is authenticity of color — the ruby hue comes entirely from red rose petals and black carrot, not from synthetic additives, which remains uncommon among naturally colored gins. The nine-botanical recipe balances classic gin structure (juniper, coriander, citrus peel) with a genuinely floral personality led by elderflower that persists from first nosing through the final sip. Victoria Distillers' copper pot still process and small-batch discipline keep the flavors integrated rather than competing, yielding a gin with real weight despite its light-to-medium body. For drinkers who admired the original Empress Indigo but wanted a warmer, more rose-driven expression, this bottling fills that space convincingly.