★ Terroir & Know-how
Québec’s artisan distilleries and spirits
Nordic gins, rye whiskeys, blue potato vodkas. Québec’s artisan distillers reinvent the glass with passion, precision, and a strong sense of place that commands respect.
The rise
A revolution in the glass
For about fifteen years, Québec’s craft distillery scene has exploded. Today, the province has more than 80 distilleries, many of which shine from Québec City and its region.
This movement was born from a simple conviction: the best spirits come from the best terroirs. And Québec, with its boreal forests, wild small fruits, and local grains, has an exceptional terroir.
- More than 80 distilleries in Québec, growing strongly since 2010.
- A "grain to glass" or "botanicals to bottle" approach that highlights local producers.
- Spirits recognized at international competitions, notably in London and San Francisco.
- A community of passionate distillers who share know-how and ingredients.
Nordic gin
The ambassador of the boreal terroir
Gin has become the calling card of Québec distilleries internationally. Spruce, balsam fir, wild berries, cedar: each recipe tells a story of a forest, a season, a territory.
Balsam fir gin
The young balsam fir shoots harvested in spring bring a unique resinous and woody freshness. A gin that smells like the forest after the rain.
Gin with small fruits
Blueberries, haskap berries, serviceberry: the fruity richness of Québec’s undergrowth in a bottle. Perfect for summer cocktails or terrace spritzers.
Québec London dry
The classic rigor of London dry revisited with 100% local botanicals. Juniper, coriander, and a touch of white cedar for character.
Hemlock gin
The Canada hemlock, this majestic tree of the Laurentian forests, offers its delicate needles for a gin with an astonishing sweetness and notes of green tea.
The distilleries
Must-sees of the region
From Québec to Charlevoix, these artisan distillers define a new map of taste. Each visit is a complete sensory experience, at the crossroads of know-how and landscape.
Distillery Cirka
Originally from Montreal but whose gins are inspired by the boreal botanicals of all Quebec. Their limited collections are true collector's items for enthusiasts.
Fjord Distillery
In the heart of Charlevoix, this distillery draws from the natural resources of Saguenay. Their apple brandies and seaweed gin are organoleptic revelations.
Distillerie de la Chaufferie
Located in a converted industrial building, this Quebec distillery produces gins and vodkas with obsessive attention to water and grain quality.
Shefford Distillery
Pioneer of Quebec whisky, Shefford ages its whiskies in oak barrels in the Eastern Townships. A strong character, like the winters that shape them.
Local ingredients
The forest in the glass
What sets Quebec spirits apart from the rest of the world are the botanicals. An inventory of wild flavors that few regions worldwide can offer.
- Balsam fir: its young spring shoots scent gins with an incomparable resinous freshness, reminiscent of Charlevoix trails after the rain.
- Wild blueberry: the emblematic fruit of Lac-Saint-Jean adds roundness and acidity to fruity gins and fruit brandies.
- Maple syrup: used as a sweetening agent in some spirits, it brings complex sweetness and subtle caramelized notes.
- Sea buckthorn: this small tart and vitamin-rich fruit from the Saint Lawrence shores colors and flavors liqueurs with remarkable liveliness.
- Oats and rye: local grains give Quebec whiskies a warm and slightly spicy character, ideal for long winter nights.
- Black spruce: symbol of the boreal forest, its cones and resins are part of the most northern and distinctive gins.
Cocktails & Pairings
The glass meets the cup
At Carrera Café, Quebec artisanal spirits find their natural place in signature cocktails or bold pairings with our espresso. The flavor pit stop.
Nordic Spritz
Balsam fir gin, sparkling water, a hint of citrus, and a sprig of spruce. Fresh, light, almost airy. To sip while watching the rooftops of Petit-Champlain.
Espresso & Whisky
The secret alliance of connoisseurs: a shot of aged Carrera espresso on the palate with a sip of Quebec rye whisky. Warmth, bitterness, complexity.
Boreal Negroni
The classic revisited with a Nordic gin and small fruits. Campari, red vermouth, and this fruity gin that changes everything. Simple, elegant, irresistible.
Québec Hot Toddy
Local whisky, Québec clover honey, fresh lemon juice, hot water, and a fir infusion. The perfect answer to -20°C on the Old Québec terrace.
Tours & Experiences
Immersion in the world of distillation
Visiting an artisanal distillery in Québec is much more than a tasting. It's a terroir lesson, a meeting with passionate people, and a full sensory journey.
Guided distillery tour
Most artisanal distilleries in the region offer guided tours following the full cycle: from raw materials to bottling, including the copper stills.
Gin creation workshop
Some distilleries offer workshops where participants create their own gin by choosing botanicals from a selection of 20 to 40 local ingredients. A unique souvenir to take home.
On-site tasting bar
Settle at the distillery bar and let the distiller guide you through a full range. The house cocktails, designed to highlight the spirits, are always a revelation.
Charlevoix Distilleries Route
From Québec to La Malbaie, a flavor route mixing distilleries, cheesemakers, and artisanal bakeries. Each stop is a new discovery, each glass tells a terroir story.
Prestige Collection
Exceptional spirits, for palates that make no compromises.
Single Botanical Gin
One single plant, one single season, one single still. The "single botanical" editions push distillation to the absolute: one ingredient, one taste, one truth.
Québec Whisky 10 years
Ten winters in oak barrels. Ten summers of patience. The result is a whisky of remarkable depth, with notes of caramel, blond tobacco, and still-warm firewood.
Your tour starts here
Before heading out to explore the region's distilleries, stop by Carrera Café. A well-pulled espresso, a Charlevoix charcuterie board, and you're ready for the road. The journey always starts at the pole position line of Petit-Champlain.
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