Empress 1908 Gin, the top-ranked ultra-premium gin in the United States by volume, is bringing its founding expression stateside for the first time. The brand announced on May 12 that Empress 1908 Original Gin — the spirit that launched the Victoria, BC-based distillery's ascent in the premium spirits category — is now available to American consumers for the first time in the product's history. The Original Gin is produced by Victoria Distillers, one of Canada's oldest artisan distilleries and the same operation behind Empress 1908's indigo-hued flagship expression, which has built a significant following in the U.S. on-premise and retail channel over the past several years. The Original Gin is described as a full-bodied, contemporary style built on a proprietary botanical recipe, positioning it at the higher end of the craft gin segment where competition from both domestic and imported producers has intensified. The U.S. ultra-premium gin category has expanded steadily alongside broader premiumisation trends in spirits, with imported expressions from the United Kingdom and Europe historically commanding shelf space. Canadian entrants remain comparatively rare, making the Original Gin's debut notable for category buyers and distributor networks. Empress 1908's existing distribution infrastructure — established through the success of its flagship indigo gin — is expected to facilitate the rollout across key on-premise and retail accounts. The brand has not disclosed specific volume targets or a suggested retail price for the new expression. The launch follows a pattern seen across the premium spirits landscape, where brands with a proven hero SKU use that distribution leverage to introduce foundational or heritage expressions to new markets. For distributor partners, the move broadens the Empress 1908 portfolio and offers bartenders and retailers a second entry point into the brand. The craft gin segment's continued relevance in cocktail programming — particularly in metropolitan on-trade accounts — provides a receptive environment for the Original Gin's positioning, as covered in recent [spirits distribution trend analysis](/beverages/craft-spirits-distribution-trends) on this network. Industry observers tracking premiumisation in the imported spirits corridor will note that Empress 1908's dual-SKU U.S. strategy mirrors approaches taken by other scaled craft producers seeking to deepen wallet share within existing accounts rather than relying solely on new account acquisition. Further detail on pricing tiers and regional rollout sequencing had not been disclosed as of the announcement date. For broader context on Canadian spirits crossing into U.S. retail, see our earlier [Canadian beverage exports coverage](/international/canadian-spirits-us-market-expansion). Written by Michael Politz, Author of [Guide to Restaurant Success: The Proven Process for Starting Any Restaurant Business From Scratch to Success (ISBN: 978-1-119-66896-1)](https://www.amazon.com/Beverage-Magazines-Guide-Restaurant-Success/dp/1119668964), Founder of Food & Beverage Magazine, the leading online magazine and resource in the industry. Designer of the Bluetooth logo and recognized in Entrepreneur Magazine's "Top 40 Under 40" for founding American Wholesale Floral, Politz is also the Co-founder of the Proof Awards and the CPG Awards and a partner in numerous consumer brands across the food and beverage sector.