Spirits

Want to stay in the know about what’s happening in the world of wine and spirits, and take a deeper dive into this subject? Expert sommeliers and collaborators share some of their favourite resources on a myriad of topics.

The year is drawing to a close and soon we’ll be raising a glass to 2024. What will this new vintage have in store for us? We spoke to a few experts (and one amateur!) to get a clearer picture.

Manu Ruiz expresses his creativity by mixing surprising cocktails. We challenged him to concoct three drinks using ingredients chosen at random. He graciously accepted and had fun blending local traditions with those of other places in the world.

It’s an ingredient you’ve tasted in many popular cocktails like martinis, Old Fashioneds, Negronis, and even Spritzes. And contrary to popular belief, vermouth is more than just that syrupy aperitif your grandparents used to drink. Thanks to local and international mixologists and producers, it’s making a big comeback.

It’s often said that we eat first with our eyes. In the spirit of boosting your cocktails’ visual appeal, here are three mixologist tricks for serving up drinks that’ll really make a splash!

It inspired 19th century poets and artists, and was banned, then legalized 100 years later. Absinthe is still shrouded in mystery to this day—but local distillers are doing their best to crack the code! Here are the secrets behind a spirit that’s winning over a growing number of Quebecers.

At Entre Pierre et Terre in Franklin, in Montérégie, not only do owners Michelle Boyer and Loïc Chanut turn their orchard fruit into cider, wine and spirits, they also find ingenious ways to make sure nothing goes to waste.

At the corner of Chapleau and Masson in Montreal’s Rosemont neighbourhood, Lilian Wolfelsberger is constantly experimenting. The co-founder of Distillerie de Montréal took us behind the scenes in his lab and revealed the creative process behind his chocolate and pineapple spirits.

In Rimouski, in the Lower St. Lawrence, stands a new architectural building overlooking the St. Lawrence River that’s home to Distillerie du St. Laurent. It’s in this enchanting part of the Pointe-au-Père district, with its iconic lighthouse and spectacular sunsets, that Joël Pelletier and Jean-François Cloutier create and share their products.

Cosmopolitans, Margaritas, Appletinis, Sex on the Beach—these sweet, colourful cocktails were all the rage at the end of the last millennium, and they’re totally in again! For the latest edition of Fresh, we’ll take a little trip back in time with two mixologists… who grew up in the 1990s!

When you stroll through the streets of Bedford in the Eastern Townships, you quickly notice a huge red-brick building. A vestige of the industrial era, this old needle factory has become a creative hub and an artists’ residence, and it’s where Samuel Gaudette and Vanessa Cliche have set up their stills.

Growing season is officially upon us! And this year, the focus is on fresh herbs—those powerful little bombs of flavour and freshness that can elevate your dishes and your drinks. To celebrate, we propose three herbaceous cocktail recipes that use the aromatics in your garden.