Empress 1908 Oaken Gin

Empress 1908 Oaken Gin is an artisanal barrel-rested craft spirit produced by Victoria Distillers in Sidney, British Columbia, Canada. Distilled in small copper pot stills using a 100% neutral grain spirit base, this expression takes their flagship botanical bill—including juniper berries, lemon peel, orange peel, star anise, and sarsaparilla—and rests the spirit with a select blend of oak. The oak maturation imparts a warm, translucent amber-golden hue and bridges the gap between gin and whiskey by building smooth, buttery layers of vanilla, caramel, and gentle wood smoke over the crisp botanical core.

Food Pairing: Charcuterie with smoked meats and aged gouda, oatmeal cookies, dark chocolate tarts, milk chocolate, and roasted pork belly.

Tasting Notes: Clear, translucent light amber-caramel in appearance with a rich, smooth, and buttery mouthfeel.

Nose: Soft and inviting up front, featuring charred oak, toasted vanilla, and rich caramel, backed by bright citrus verbena, sweet star anise, and subtle herbal tea leaves.

Palate: Rich, smooth, and layered, opening with creamy vanilla curd, lemon peel, and light caramel sweetness, balancing into resinous pine juniper, subtle sarsaparilla root, and white pepper spice.

Finish: Medium-long, warm, and pleasantly dry with lingering notes of toasted oak, vanilla spice, and a clean, tannic wood closure.

Serve: Serve neat, on the rocks with a large ice cube, or use as a rich botanical substitute in an Old Fashioned, Manhattan, Deep Cove Negroni, or Oaken Martinez.