This Lavender Empress is a Gin and Tonic recipe that’s sophisticated, simple, and memorable. I’ve had countless Gin and Tonics in my life and I’ve enjoyed them all. But never has one stood out from the rest– until now. And it’s all thanks to the Empress 1908 Gin.

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The Gin and Tonic is one of the oldest cocktails in existence. As with many classic cocktails, there are a few origin stories floating around out there. Most people agree that this combination was invented in India during the 18th century while others claim it was created in Holland the century before that. What’s clear is that gin was created as a type of medicine in the 17th century and tonic consumption was encouraged for British citizens who were relocating to India.

Someone somewhere discovered that adding gin to the malaria-fighting tonic water made it a much more palatable remedy. Tonic water no longer has enough quinine in it to provide any kind of anti-malarial benefits but it still tastes dang good with gin.

Gin and Tonics are one of my personal favorite cocktails, but they’re often seen as being bland and boring. This Gin and Tonic is anything but. First off, it’s purple. There’s something about sipping on a purple cocktail that’ll lift your spirits. Really. Try being angry while you drink a dainty purple drink. I just don’t think it’s possible.

Secondly, the specific gin I used in this Lavender Empress makes alllll the difference. I’m still learning a lot about the world of gin (it’s quite large, as it turns out) but so far, I’ve learned that gin varies more from one brand to another than any other liquor. Rum is going to taste rum-y. All tequilas have a similar tone. But gin varies wildly from bottle to bottle and I love that about it.

Now all you whiskey and tequila purists out there, don’t hear me wrong. I know that they don’t all taste the same. But all tequila is gonna taste like blue agave because by definition it must be made from blue agave to be considered tequila. And while gin is always distilled from juniper berries and other botanicals, it’s the ‘other botanicals’ part that leaves the door wide-open for diversity.

Empress 1908 gin is what I used in the Lavender Empress recipe. It’s made with juniper berries, grapefruit peel, coriander seeds, rose petals, cinnamon, ginger root, the exclusive black tea served at the Empress Hotel, and butterfly pea blossoms. Mhmm. Yeah. Now you’re starting to understand why I say this Gin and Tonic recipe is memorable.

The butterfly pea blossom is where the Empress 1908 gets it’s color from. Before it’s mixed with anything, this gin is actually a deep indigo. However, after mixing it with different ingredients like citrus and tonic, it’ll change colors. It can turn fuchsia, lavender, or light pink. Just watch the color change when I add the tonic water. It goes from indigo to a gorgeous lavender:

Knowing that the gin was distilled with rose petals, I wanted to bring out that floral element. I considered using my rose simple syrup or a drop of rose water, but if you’ve had either before, you know how easily they can overpower a drink. I didn’t want to risk doing that to such a precious gin. Instead, I turned to lavender.

One of the things that people love about Gin & Tonics is that they’re dry and not sweet. By only adding 1/4 oz of the lavender simple syrup, you’re able to highlight the floral elements in the Empress 1908 Gin without covering up the bitterness of the tonic. But as I always say, cocktails are meant to be customized so feel free to add more lavender simple syrup if you’re into sweeter drinks. Lavender simple syrup is really easy to make. Hand to heart. You can find my step-by-step recipe here.

I also added a splash of grapefruit juice since Empress 1908 gin has grapefruit notes. I don’t think it’s necessary to add this and I would definitely make sure not to add too much. Just a literal splash or squeeze will do.

If you wanna find out if a liquor store near you is selling Empress 1908, you can use the company’s Find Your Empress page. This gin is unique, fun (color-changing!!), and reasonably priced. If you don’t have Empress 1908, you can use whatever gin you’ve got in your liquor cabinet. The Lavender Empress will still taste floral and light, although it may be more appropriate to call it a Lavender Gin & Tonic. But if you can get your hands on some Empress 1908, do it! (I have two sample bottles thanks to my generous friend Mark!)

Ingredients for a Lavender Empress Gin and Tonic

• 1 1/2 oz Empress 1908 gin
• 1/4 oz lavender simple syrup (here’s the easy recipe)
• tonic water (I used Fever Tree’s Indian tonic water)
• splash of grapefruit juice– optional

How to Make a Lavender Empress Gin and Tonic

In a cocktail shaker or measuring glass, combine the Empress 1908 gin and the lavender simple syrup. Add a handful of ice and stir to both combine and chill. Strain into a lowball glass filled with ice. Top off the rest of the glass with tonic water & watch the color change before your eyes. Add a small splash or squeeze of grapefruit juice. Stir again before enjoying.