A gin martini, is one of the most timeless gin cocktails that I can think of. This empress gin martini recipe has a vivid indigo color, and is a visual twist on the classic martini. Additionally, it substitutes Lillet Blanc for dry vermouth. Like a classic martini, it showcases the botanical flavors of Empress 1908 Indigo Gin and Lillet Blanc without adding a bunch of unnecessary additional ingredients that hide the flavors of the gin. The resulting empress gin martini has a regal indigo color. It is delicate but spirit forward with strong notes of grapefruit.

If you enjoy gin and want to give your classic martini a regal citrus twist, this is definitely worth a try, this classic, spirit forward, gin martini, may become one of your new favorite drinks This is a beautiful cocktail to make when you want to treat yourself to something special or impress some classic cocktail lovers at your next dinner party. This empress gin martini recipe pairs beautifully with a charcuterie board featuring Mediterranean meats, olives, and cheeses.

Empress 1908 Indigo Gin has become one our favorite gins to work with when creating cocktails. It has beautiful color and its fun to create with because of its color changing properties. It is made in small batches in Victoria, British Columbia and use eight natural botanicals: juniper, grapefruit peel, coriander seed, rose petal, cinnamon bark, butterfly pea blossom, ginger root, and Fairmont Empress tea.

What is Empress 1908 Indigo Gin

This is a unique gin that is distilled by Victoria Distillers in British Columbia, Canada. Named after the legendary Fairmont Empress Hotel, this botanical gin has a natural indigo hue created by butterfly pea flowers. When acid is added to this gin it causes the color to change. Meaning, if fresh lemon juice or pineapple juice is added the cocktail will change to a bright pink color The vivid color and color changing properties make a it a fantastic gin to use for cocktail creations. In addition to the beautiful color, the gin also has very delicate flavors. Victoria Distillers uses 8 botanicals in its indigo gin, including the signature blend of black tea served at the Empress Hotel. The flavor profile is earthy, with robust citrus flavor and delicate floral notes.

If you are looking for other showstopping cocktails to make with this beautiful gin, Empress Gin has a fantastic gin cocktail catalogue.

Why you’ll love this empress gin martini recipe

Just 3 ingredients – this cocktail only requires a few specific ingredients. Each ingredient highlights the botanical flavors of the gin beautifully. Once you have them its easy to make this cocktail again and again.
Beautiful Color – this cocktail has a showstopping vivid indigo color that is feminine and bold.
Simple Cocktail – once you have all the ingredients, this is an easy cocktail to make. To make it just add the gin and Lillet Blanc in a cocktail shaker, shake, and serve. You don’t need to make any simple syrups or complicated garnishes, the indigo gin does all the work.

Ingredients (and substitutes)

Empress 1908 Indigo Gin – made with butterfly pea blossom, this gin has a beautiful indigo blue color and tasting notes that include black tea, citrus, juniper berries and floral flavors. For substitutions, we would recommend another indigo gin like Whitley Neill Parma Violet Gin. If you are just interested in tasting the flavor of the cocktail, and not worried about achieving the indigo color, try substituting a London dry gin with a subtle floral note or black tea flavor.
Lillet Blanc – this aperitif is a fortified wine. It is light in flavor with hints of honey, candied orange and subtle floral notes. Because Lillet Blanc’s flavor pairs well with gin, it is often featured in gin cocktails. The best substitute would be St Germain or a sweet white vermouth. Since St Germain and sweet vermouth are both sweeter than Lillet Blanc, we would recommend reducing the amount you add to the cocktail, unless you want to add a touch of sweetness. If you prefer a dry martini, you could substituting a dry vermouth.
Grapefruit Peel – a fresh grapefruit peel twisted into the bottom of martini glass gives the cocktail additional depth and flavor. To really make the cocktail visually standout, we like to serve the empress gin martini with a fresh grapefruit twist.
Ice – for shaking the cocktail before serving

Note on ingredients: if you add any acid ingredients like fresh lemon or grapefruit juice to this empress gin martini recipe, the cocktail will change color or may significantly lighten in color. It is possible that you will end up with either a light blue or pink martini.

Equipment:

Cocktail Shaker
Chilled martini glass

How to make this empress gin martini recipe

This martini comes together in a just a few simple steps with just a handful of essential ingredients.

Shake: In a cocktail shaker, shake indigo gin and Lillet Blanc with ice.
Prepare Glass: Twist grapefruit peel over bottom of each chilled cocktail glass, to release the oils and aroma of the grapefruit.
Serve: Strain cocktail into prepared chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with fresh grapefruit twist or peel.

Questions on how to make this empress gin martini recipe

What is the difference between a shaken vs stirred martini?

A shaken martini means that the liquid ingredients are added to a cocktail shaker and shaken with ice before being served. A stirred martini is placed in a glass with ice and gently stirred before serving. The result is that a stirred martini tend to be slightly smoother and retains more flavor of the gin.

Why isn’t my empress gin martini an indigo color?

It is the pea flower blossoms in empress gin that give it the indigo hue. Pea Flower blossoms contain anthocyanin which is a base indicator. If you added any acidic ingredients, even a small amount it will cause the liquid to change color as the PH of the liquid increases or decreases. This means if lemon or fresh lime juice are added the color will change. Even adding soda water or tonic water will have an impact on the natural indigo color.