Empress Gin Martini co*cktail Recipe (2024)

Published: May 12, 2022 · Modified: Mar 18, 2023 by Melissa · This post contains links that pay me a small commission at no extra cost to you.

This Empress Gin Martini is a vibrant take on the traditional French martini using Empress 1908 butterfly pea flower gin along with pineapple juice, lemon juice, and blackberry liqueur. It’s topped off with a few dashes of cranberry bitters to balance it all out.

Empress Gin changes colors when exposed to acid, so you’ll have so much fun making this co*cktail. If you enjoy Empress Gin, make sure to check out this Empress Gin French 75. And, if you’re a big martini fan, make sure to check out my Aperol Vodka Martini or 3 Ingredient Lemon Drop Martini.

What is Empress 1908 Gin?

Empress 1908 Gin is a unique gin that is infused with butterfly pea blossom from Victoria Distillers in Victoria, British Columbia. Butterfly pea blossoms are edible flowers that gives the liquids that it infuses a vivid indigo blue color and floral flavors.

The name Empress 1908 is named after the Fairmont Empress Hotel, which is in Victoria, British Columbia, home of Empress Gin. The hotel was established in 1908, hence the 1908 part of the name.

The color of Empress Gin starts out as a natural indigo hue but changes color depending on the pH levels of the drink. For example, using fresh lemon juice will turn this gin from the natural indigo color to a pink color or purple gin. So with any Empress gin co*cktail recipes, be prepared for a beautiful color change if you’re using anything acidic like lemon juice or sparkling wine.

The flavor profile is similar to botanical gin, so Empress 1908 works well with many gin-based crisp classic co*cktails like a gin sour, gin and tonic water, and martinis like this recipe for a French martini.

Needless to say, this beautiful colored gin makes some of the most gorgeous co*cktails and is a total crowd-pleaser. Its signature color makes it a great signature co*cktail for any event or party.

What is a French martini?

The French martini was invented in the 1980s in NYC. It’s traditionally made up of vodka (often vanilla vodka), raspberry liqueur (usually Chambord), and pineapple juice. Chambord is a French raspberry liqueur that I love, but I decided to go a little off the traditional path on this French martini and made some substitutions.

Ingredients:

To make this Empress Gin Martini, you’ll need:

Empress 1908 Gin: Instead of vodka, I decided to use Empress Gin for its beautiful blue hue for a beautiful twist on the French martini.

Blackberry liqueur: Instead of the traditional raspberry Chambord, I opted for a Blackberry liqueur – the one that I used was Pimm’s Blackberry and Elderflower liqueur, but you can certainly go for the original, Chambord.

Pineapple and lemon juice: I wanted the traditional pineapple juice, but I like the extra flavor that the lemon juice brings. If you want to simplify, you can opt simply for pineapple juice.

Cranberry bitters: I know this is an unusual and not traditional ingredient, but I felt that this Empress martini needed something to balance the flavors out. It worked out perfectly making it such a delicious co*cktail. You can find cranberry bitters here.

Garnishes: I prefer to use both blackberries and lemon wheels for garnish, but feel free to choose your favorite.

Instructions for Empress Gin Martini

The instructions for this simple Empress gin co*cktail couldn’t be easier. While this method is untraditional, it will yield a pretty color change effect before your eyes. Start by adding the gin and blackberry liqueur to a co*cktail shaker with ice and shake very well.

Strain into a chilled martini glass or coupe glass. Slowly layer in the pineapple and lemon juice to watch the color change.

Lastly, you can garnish for extra beautiful co*cktails with blackberries and a lemon wheel.

Must-Haves for This Recipe

Cranberry Bitters

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Coupe Glassware

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Champagne and Sparkling Wine Stopper

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