For more than 10 years, Victoria Distillers has been producing some of Canada’s finest handmade spirits. A unique waterfront location in Sidney, British Columbia, houses the Specific Mechanical pot stills that produce their range of spirits – most notably, their award-winning Empress Gin.
As one of Canada’s oldest small-batch spirits companies, Victoria Distillers is influenced by history and driven by innovation. In collaboration with incredibly talented mixologists and local partners, the distillery creates both classic and innovative cocktail spirits, using the famous crystal-clear water of the Canadian west coast, and the highest quality ingredients from around the world.
Handcrafted in small batch copper-pot stills, Empress 1908 Gin was inspired by the legendary Fairmont Empress Hotel in Victoria, British Columbia. On top of traditional botanicals, they add a signature blend of black tea served at the Empress Hotel and butterfly pea blossom, an exotic herb that gives the gin its natural indigo colour. This distinctive hue changes to bright lavender, soft pink, or fuchsia depending on the mixer, adding to the experience of the cocktail.
The popularity of of the Empress Gin and many of the other products in their line-up led to a necessary expansion and acquisition of more Specific Mechanical stills. Their increased capacity meant they were able to take advantage of an emerging market in the form of “Ready-to-Drink” (RTD) canned cocktails. Victoria Distillers was perfectly poised as their location on the west coast of Canada meant their target market of hikers and youthful adventurers was right in their own backyard. The production of both gin and vodka-based RTDs was a runaway success and is another huge opportunity for their future.
Today, things have never been brighter for Victoria Distillers. Setting records and winning awards with their array of spirits, led by Empress 1908 Gin, and taking advantage of the RTD market with the runaway success of Strait & Narrow canned cocktails, has meant their recent expansion is only the beginning for the future success of this forward-thinking company.
