Empress 1908 Gin
Empress 1908 Gin is a Canadian premium spirits brand producing handcrafted, micro-distilled gin with signature indigo color from butterfly pea blossom, sold direct-to-consumer and through retail across Canada, the United States, and Europe.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2018
- HeadquartersSidney, Canada
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Empress 1908 Gin does
Empress 1908 Gin is a premium spirits brand produced by Victoria Distillers Inc., a privately held Canadian corporation headquartered in Sidney, British Columbia. Launched in 2018, the brand specializes in handcrafted, micro-distilled gin made in small-batch copper-pot stills using a proprietary ten-botanical recipe that includes juniper, citrus, star anise, sarsaparilla, and butterfly pea blossom — the latter being the source of the signature indigo color that visually differentiates the product. The current portfolio comprises five SKUs: the flagship Empress 1908 Original Gin, the visually distinctive Indigo Gin, the Elderflower Rose Gin (launched spring 2023), the Cucumber Lemon Gin (launched 2024), and the 0.0 Indigo non-alcoholic spirit (launched December 2025). The company is led by CEO Eric Dopkins, with founder Peter Hunt referenced as the brand originator.
The company monetizes through one-time retail and direct-to-consumer sales of finished spirits. In the US market, the Original Gin retails at $39.99 per 750ml bottle. Distribution operates through three primary channels: the company's own e-commerce site (empressgin.com), where US orders are processed and fulfilled by retail partner Big Thirst, Inc.; brick-and-mortar retail across Canada, the United States, and Europe (via a European partner storefront); and a content-driven marketing apparatus spanning Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, YouTube, and an owned blog/cocktail-recipe library. Target customers are premium spirits consumers seeking distinctive, visually striking gin for home cocktail creation and gifting; the horizontal segmentation approach is consistent with a long-tail consumer goods business rather than enterprise accounts.
Empress 1908 Gin firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Empress 1908 Gin
- Legal name
- Victoria Distillers Inc.
- Website
- https://empressgin.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2018
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Empress 1908 Gin is a Canadian premium spirits brand producing handcrafted, micro-distilled gin with signature indigo color from butterfly pea blossom, sold direct-to-consumer and through retail across Canada, the United States, and Europe.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Empress 1908 Gin industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Premium Distilled Spirits
- NAICS
- Distilleries (312140), Beer, Wine, and Liquor Retailers (445320)
- SIC
- Wholesale-Beer, Wine & Distilled Alcoholic Beverages (5180)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Spirits Distilling & Brands (CRADAIAC)
Keywords
Where Empress 1908 Gin is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Sidney
- HQ country
- Canada
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Empress 1908 Gin business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Spirits Sales: Empress 1908 Gin generates revenue through direct-to-consumer online sales of its gin products shipped to US customers, and retail distribution through various store locations. The company sells multiple gin variants including Original Gin, Indigo Gin, Cucumber Lemon Gin, Elderflower Rose Gin, and 0.0 Indigo non-alcoholic spirit.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Empress 1908 Original Gin 750ml bottle |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels7 records
Empress 1908 Gin product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Empress 1908 Gin produces and sells a portfolio of handcrafted premium gins micro-distilled in small batch copper-pot stills by Victoria Distillers in Sidney, British Columbia. The product lineup includes the signature Original Gin with a ten-botanical recipe, the visually distinctive Indigo Gin colored by butterfly pea blossom, flavored variants (Cucumber Lemon, Elderflower Rose), and a non-alcoholic spirit (0.0 Indigo). The brand sells directly to consumers online and distributes through retail locations across Canada, the US, and Europe.
Product overview
Empress 1908 Gin is a portfolio of handcrafted premium gins produced by Victoria Distillers in Victoria, British Columbia. The product line consists of five distinct offerings: the signature Empress 1908 Original Gin (the foundational ten-botanical recipe), the visually distinctive Indigo Gin (colored by butterfly pea blossom), the Elderflower Rose Gin (launched spring 2023), the Cucumber Lemon Gin (a newer flavored variant), and the Empress 1908 0.0 Indigo (a non-alcoholic spirit launched December 2025). All products are micro-distilled in small batch copper-pot stills and are inspired by the Empress Hotel in Victoria, B.C. The brand has expanded from its Canadian origins to the U.S. market, with the Original Gin making its U.S. debut in May 2026.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Indigo Gin: Signature gin featuring a distinctive indigo color from butterfly pea blossom, with ten botanical elements including juniper, citrus, star anise, and sarsaparilla.
- Cucumber Lemon Gin
- Elderflower Rose Gin
- 0.0 Indigo
Products and services
- Empress 1908 Original Gin The signature premium gin featuring a distinctive botanical recipe developed by Victoria Distillers with ten botanical elements including juniper, citrus, star anise, and sarsaparilla. Micro-distilled in small batch copper-pot stills and handcrafted. Ranked as the top ultra-premium gin in the United States.
- Empress 1908 Indigo Gin Premium gin known for its striking indigo color derived from butterfly pea blossom, one of eight botanicals. Features traditional citrus notes balanced with warm herbal earthiness. Handcrafted in copper-pot stills in small batches by Victoria Distillers.
- Empress 1908 Cucumber Lemon Gin Flavored gin variant featuring crisp cucumber and bright lemon botanicals. Designed for refreshing cocktails such as the Cucumber Lemon Drop. Handcrafted in small batches with carefully selected botanicals.
- Empress 1908 Elderflower Rose Gin Flavored gin featuring delicate elderflower and rose botanicals. Handcrafted in copper-pot stills in small batches. Inspired by Victoria, British Columbia, known as the City of Gardens.
- Empress 1908 0.0 Indigo Non-alcoholic spirit (0.0% alcohol) designed for craft zero-proof cocktails. Made with natural flavors and features the signature indigo color from butterfly pea blossom. Inspired by the Empress Hotel in Victoria, B.C.
Companies that use Empress 1908 Gin
Customer profileSegments1 record
Ideal customer profiles1 record
Empress 1908 Gin technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature2 records
Empress 1908 Gin partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- Big Thirst, Inc.coreBig Thirst, Inc. serves as the retailer partner for processing and fulfilling US online orders for Empress 1908 Gin. All sales processed through the Empress 1908 website are fulfilled by Big Thirst, enabling the brand's direct-to-consumer sales model in the US market.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Empress 1908 Gin competitors and assessment
Company assessmentMarket position
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Customer concentration
Empress 1908 Gin social profiles
Digital presenceEmpress 1908 Gin financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Empress 1908 Gin leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Empress 1908 Gin funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Empress 1908 Gin M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Empress 1908 Gin
What does Empress 1908 Gin do?
Empress 1908 Gin produces and sells a portfolio of handcrafted premium gins micro-distilled in small batch copper-pot stills by Victoria Distillers in Sidney, British Columbia. The product lineup includes the signature Original Gin with a ten-botanical recipe, the visually distinctive Indigo Gin colored by butterfly pea blossom, flavored variants (Cucumber Lemon, Elderflower Rose), and a non-alcoholic spirit (0.0 Indigo). The brand sells directly to consumers online and distributes through retail locations across Canada, the US, and Europe.
Is Empress 1908 Gin a public or private company?
Empress 1908 Gin is a private company. It is classified as unknown and is currently operating.
When was Empress 1908 Gin founded?
Empress 1908 Gin was founded in 2018. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Empress 1908 Gin based?
Empress 1908 Gin is headquartered in Sidney, Canada, in the North America region.
How does Empress 1908 Gin make money?
One revenue line is on record: spirits Sales.
Does Empress 1908 Gin have an API?
No public API is recorded for Empress 1908 Gin.
What industry is Empress 1908 Gin in?
Empress 1908 Gin's product category is Premium Distilled Spirits. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRADAIAC, Spirits Distilling & Brands. Its NAICS code is 312140 and its SIC code is 5180.