Guides

Our Favourite Flavour Combos with Empress 1908 Cucumber Lemon Gin!

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Enjoy everything our new release has to offer with these pairings!

Have you picked up a bottle of our new Cucumber Lemon expression and are curious what to make? You’ve come to the right place! In our previous article, we shared with you a few must-try signature recipes. Today, we bring you our favourite flavours to pair with Empress Cucumber Lemon Gin to spark some inspiration!

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Jump ahead to the categories!
  1. Tea
  2. Savoury Veggies
  3. Fresh Herbs

1. Tea

Our Cucumber Lemon Gin’s main inspiration derives from the traditions of afternoon tea where folks would enjoy a hot cuppa, cucumber sandwiches, and pleasant conversation. You can especially taste this in the more subtle botanicals, notably jasmine, that provide fragrant complexity. We love pairing our gin with lighter tea-inspired accents like green or herbal blends to complement its fresh botanicals, but you can certainly experiment with bolder varietals!

Jasmine Sour

Make a jasmine syrup for this delectable sour full of complexity to elevate the delicate notes of our Empress Cucumber Lemon Gin!

Jasmine Sour BLOG
Ingredients
  • 2 oz Empress 1908 Cucumber Lemon Gin
  • ¾ oz Fresh Lemon Juice
  • ¾ oz Jasmine Syrup*
  • Egg White or Aquafaba
  • Dried Jasmine Blossoms, for garnish
Method

Add all ingredients to a shaker tin and dry shake (without ice). Add ice to tin and shake again to chill. Double strain into cocktail glass and garnish with dried jasmine blossoms.

*To make jasmine syrup, add 1 cup each of sugar and water to a saucepan over medium heat and stir to combine. Lower heat and add 1 bag of jasmine tea and let simmer for about 10-15 minutes, or until desired flavour is reached. Cool, remove tea bag, and store in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks!

2. Savoury Veggies

If you’re the type of person who garnishes your olives with a cocktail, you’ll want to give this a try! While Empress Cucumber Lemon Gin mixes incredibly well with bright, sweet, and tangy flavours; the crisp cucumber lends itself just as perfectly with anything savoury. Think tomatoes, onions, peppers, and anything else that tickles your fancy – there are no limits here!

Gherkin Martini

Dirty martini lovers unite! Try out our pickle twist if you’re feeling particularly adventurous with your next cocktail.

Ingredients
  • 2 oz Empress 1908 Cucumber Lemon Gin ⁣
  • ½ oz Dry Vermouth
  • ½ oz ⁣Gherkin Brine
  • Lemon Twist & Gherkin, for garnish
Method

Stir all ingredients with ice and strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Express lemon oils over the cocktail and garnish.

Gherkin Martini BLOG

3. Fresh Herbs

We’re no stranger to herbs in our cocktails regardless of the season. With our gin’s vibrant flavour profile, fresh herbs are an obvious choice to complement the vegetal and citrus notes. The options are truly endless, whether you pick something brighter like mint or robust like thyme!

Little Saigon

Inspired by Vietnamese cuisine, this cocktail makes use of basil, mint, and cilantro to elevate the refreshing flavours of our botanical recipe!

Little Saigon BLOG
Ingredients
  • 1½ oz Empress 1908 Cucumber Lemon Gin
  • ¾ oz Fresh Lime Juice
  • ¾ oz Lemongrass Ginger Syrup*
  • 3 Basil & Mint Leaves, each
  • 3 slices Bird’s Eye Chili (optional, according to spice preference)
  • Lime Yuzu Soda, to top
  • Cilantro Sprig & Bird’s Eye Chili, for garnish
Method

Gently muddle basil and mint with syrup and lime juice in shaker tin. Add gin and chili slices and shake over ice. Strain into collins glass filled with ice, top with soda, and garnish.

*To make lemongrass ginger syrup, combine 250g each sugar and water with 50g each of roughly chopped ginger and lemongrass to a saucepan over medium heat and stir until sugar dissolves. Take off heat and let infuse for about 20 minutes. Strain into a container, seal, and keep in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.

Overall, we love leaning into the crisp and vibrant flavours of Empress Cucumber Lemon Gin in how we choose our accompanying ingredients. Let this act as a starting point for you to spread your wings and get creative as you mix and sip our new gin! When you pick up a bottle, be sure to share your cocktails with us on Instagram @empress1908gin with the hashtag #EmpressCucumberLemonGin – we’d love to see what you’re enjoying!

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For more cocktail inspiration, check out our InstagramCocktail Page, or Blog!

Sip responsibly!

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