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“Are you here to see my boys?” Isabelle asked as we entered Cirka Distilleries. Her boys are Homer and Mario, two huge stills—one is for making gin and the other, vodka and whisky. Isabelle became a distiller kind of by accident. After becoming a certified sommelier, the Beauport native was toying with the idea of opening a tasting bar featuring American spirits. But she wanted to roam Canada and the U.S. on her motorcycle first, in part to develop her palate by sampling the products at different microbreweries, distilleries and vineyards along the way. “The road led me to Paul Cirka, and I fell in love with his project.”
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Isabelle affectionately refers to her still as “my boys”!
Whiskies with a local flavour
Paul’s project was all about “grain-to-bottle” whisky production that would reflect Quebec’s terroir. “Montreal was once the whisky capital of North America [a number of local distilleries were producing whisky starting in the mid-19th century], and he wanted to restore that reputation,” Isabelle explained. Since they both relish a challenge, they also decided to create the very first whisky made entirely from rye. “You don’t really see it too often because it’s a difficult grain to work with. It’s usually mixed in with barley.”
Seven years later, Isabelle has become a pro at using the stills and now creates “whiskies with character and complexity that anyone can enjoy.” They have Whisky No. 2, made entirely with corn from Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, and Whisky No. 3—a second batch of their original recipe—which is 93% Yamachiche rye and 7% German chocolate malted rye. There’s also Whisky No. 4, which is a mix of corn and rye, not to mention their single malt made with barley from Saint-Joseph-Du-Lac and Thetford Mines—but that one has been aging in barrels for the last five years. “We tasted it recently, but it needs a bit more time,” Isabelle said. While she swore to us that she “loves all her children equally,” she admitted to a preference for Whisky No. 3, which is aged in Oloroso sherry barrels. This imbues the spirit with notes of cocoa, coffee and tobacco. “The flavour profile is unbelievable. I love it!”
Cirka Whisky No. 3, Isabelle’s favourite
Expertise and passion
Isabelle will soon add a rye spirit to the list of vodkas, gins and whiskies she distills. “You need all five senses in this job. You need to be both creative and scientific. And it helps you keep in great shape!” she said, noting that she shovels a ton of grain every day. Her favourite part? Opening a barrel of whisky and tasting what’s inside. “That’s when the magic happens!”
Even though Isabelle is one of the first women distillers in Quebec—and maybe even the only one to produce whisky—she’s not looking for praise. But she’s perfectly willing to mentor others and offers advice to people who share her passion whenever she can. “Raising the profile of our industry here in Quebec is very important to me.” It’s exciting for her to see more women both working in this field and owning up to their taste for hard liquor. “I’m inspired by their curiosity!” And there’s no doubt that Cirka’s resident distiller is an inspiration herself.
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