Empress 75 recipe
A vibrant indigo-hued sparkling cocktail balancing botanical gin, fresh citrus, and crisp champagne.
Method: Shake gin, lemon juice, and simple syrup with ice, strain into a chilled flute, and top with dry champagne. ·
Glass: Champagne flute ·
Time: 3 min ·
Difficulty: Beginner ·
Family: The Highball Family
Ingredients
- 1.5 oz Botanical gin infused with butterfly pea flower
- 0.75 oz Fresh lemon juice
- 0.5 oz Simple syrup (1:1)
- 3 oz Dry champagne or sparkling wine (chilled)
How to make a Empress 75
- Chill a champagne flute in the refrigerator or freezer prior to preparation.
- Combine the botanical indigo gin, fresh lemon juice, and simple syrup in a cocktail shaker filled with ice.
- Shake vigorously for 10 seconds to chill and dilute the mixture.
- Fine-strain the liquid into the prepared chilled champagne flute.
- Top gently with chilled dry champagne to create effervescent sparkle.
- Express the oils from a lemon twist over the surface and drop it into the glass.
Garnish
Lemon twist
Pro tip
Pour the champagne slowly down the inside wall of the flute to preserve carbonation and maintain the distinct color gradient.
History of the Empress 75
Rooted in the classic French 75 created around 1915 at the New York Bar in Paris by Harry MacElhone, the drink was named after the powerful 75-millimeter field gun. While earlier iterations commonly utilized cognac or standard gin, modern craft variations introduce butterfly pea flower-infused gin for a striking natural indigo appearance that shifts violet when combined with acidic citrus.
Flavour profile
Citrus, Effervescent, Botanical
Variations
- French 75 — Substitute standard London Dry gin for the indigo-infused botanical gin to produce the classic clear sparkling cocktail.
- Cognac 75 — Replace the gin with VSOP cognac, reflecting the earliest historical iterations recorded in the mid-1910s.
- Elderflower 75 — Swap the simple syrup for elderflower liqueur to add floral aroma and softer sweetness.
Practise making the Empress 75 in the free Virtual Bar game.