Empress 1908 Indigo Gin

1908 Indigo Gin from Empress is a British Columbia gin bottled at 42.5% ABV, and the first thing to know is that it is blue-violet in the bottle. The color comes from the botanical blend rather than from added dye, according to the distributor's description. That color is also the product's party trick. Like other colour-shifting gins, it is expected to turn toward pink or lilac when it meets acidity such as citrus juice or tonic with a citrus note. The fixed details here stop at the colour and the strength, so treat the flavour guidance below as what a contemporary-style gin at this proof typically does, not a measured profile of this bottle. Expect a gin that leans toward the contemporary end of the spectrum rather than a pure juniper-first London dry. Juniper should still provide the backbone and the pine-resin edge, with citrus peel and floral or herbal accents typically sitting around it. At 42.5%, the spirit has enough weight to hold its flavour when diluted over ice or shaken with juice, which suits long drinks and sours particularly well. The Gin & Tonic is the obvious showcase, mostly because the colour change plays out in the glass. Use a balloon or large wine glass, fill it generously with cold, clear ice, pour about 50 ml of gin, and top with 120 to 150 ml of a good tonic poured gently down a spoon to keep the fizz. Garnish with a wide strip of grapefruit or lemon peel, or a sprig of rosemary or thyme if you would rather stay on the herbal side. A Tom Collins in a tall highball works on the same logic: gin, fresh lemon juice, sugar syrup and soda over plenty of ice, where the lemon should trigger the shift from blue toward pink as you stir. For stirred drinks, a Negroni made with this gin will turn out a darker, redder drink, since Campari and sweet vermouth will cover most of the gin's colour. You would be choosing it for the botanicals rather than the look. A Martini is a better use of the spirit's character: stir with ice until very cold, strain into a chilled coupe or Nick & Nora glass, and finish with a lemon twist, letting the oils sit on the surface. Try a 5:1 or 6:1 gin-to-dry-vermouth ratio to keep the gin in front. Keep the bottle in a cool, dark place, and chill the glassware rather than the bottle if you want a cleaner pour.