The Violet Vesper is a variation on my favorite potent cocktail, The Vesper. I have had this bottle of Empress 1908 gin in my liquor cabinet for a bit of time now, and I have wanted to make something special with it. I decided to first future how beautiful the color is. And make a vesper with a dash of orange bitters to brighten it up a bit. This cocktail is not for the faint of heart. It may look pretty, but it will knock your prayer beads right out of your hands!
Empress gin gets its color from butterfly-pea flowers. The incredible blue color of these flowers has been used as a dye in Asia for centuries. It is popular as a tea in baking bread (yes, I do want to try a sourdough loaf using it sometime soon!) and now in a gin. it is what makes the Violet Vesper so dazzling.
Empress 1908 Gin comes from a distillery in Canada. It has slowly been showing up in liquor stores in the States, finally. This gin has a flowery, in a good way flavor, that is delicious in mixed cocktails. If you add an acid or tonic, the vibrant color will change to bright pink. More on that in a future cocktail. Today I wanted to use it in its full violet color. The cocktail turned out stunning, I used my favorite vodka Spring44 as it is incredibly smooth and blends well with Empress Gin. And voila! the Violet Vesper.
If you are not familiar with the vesper, Ian Fleming invented it in his first James Bond book Casino Royale. It is the original cocktail, he ordered to be “shaken not stirred” I have written a great post on it HERE. If you can not find orange bitters in your local store, you can find it on Amazon HERE ( I get a teeny tiny amount if you use the link. But every bit helps.I also get a tiny commission if you use the link to amazon on the side bar and below) You can find links to Empress Gin HERE and My favorite vodka as well as fabulous gins from Spring44 HERE.
And a personal note. As I am writing this, New York, and the rest of the country, are dealing with the Carona Virus known as Covid-19. Please be safe and smart with what you do. There is much information and much false information, and it is a scary time for all of us. I am out of work at The Lion King for at least a month and will need to figure out how to deal with social distancing. Please continue to wash your hands and use safe practices. Remember it is not about you necessarily, it is about keeping those more vulnerable than yourselves safe and out of the virus’s path. Stay safe, everyone.
The Violet Vesper is a variation of the Vesper Cocktail using vibrant violet Empress 1908 Gin and Spring44 Vodka. Strong, smooth and delicious
- 3 oz Empress 1908 Gin
- 1 oz Spring44 Vodka
- ½ oz Lillet Blanc
- 1 dash orange bitters
- Orange peel for garnish
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Place a coupe glass in the freezer or fridge to chill.
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In a cocktail shaker, add the Empress gin, Spring44 vodka, the Lillet Blanc, and the 1 dash of orange bitters.
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Fill the shaker with ice and cover with the top.
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Shake for 10 seconds or until the shaker is very ice cold.
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Pour into the chilled coupe glass and twist the orange peel over the cocktail to release some of the peel’s oils.
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Garnish with the peel and serve.
