An artisanal distillery with intergenerational roots in the Monts Valin
In the Monts-Valin, in Saint-David-de-Falardeau, the winter sports resort isn't the only thing that shines far and wide and makes its mark even elsewhere in Québec. There's also a distillery founded in 2016 that produces spirits there, the very first micro-distillery in the Saguenay-Lac-St-Jean region.
Distillerie du Fjord is first and foremost a passion passed down through generations, a project that began with brothers Jean-Philippe and Benoît and their father Serge Bouchard. It reflects the history and experience of five generations of gin lovers.
"When our father brought out our grandfather's old still, we suspected it must be in our blood!" says Jean-Philippe.
The project began with a simple idea: to craft unique spirits that would offer an experience of pleasure and discovery. "We draw all our inspiration from the richness of the environment around us, whether it's the purity of the water flowing from the Monts-Valin, the vastness of the Fjord du Saguenay, or even diving into the heart of the boreal forest," he adds.
For example, the ingredients of their flagship product, KM12 (balsam fir bud, dune pepper, pinewood spikenard, wild raspberry leaf and sweet gale), are hand-picked in the distillery's own environment. An organic juniper berry is added to this flavourful blend, giving km12 gin a beautiful complexity.
The distillery's other products also have their specific qualities:
- The KM12 with northern cucumbers has the same base ingredients as its sibling, enhanced by the pleasant freshness of northern cucumber from the Toundra greenhouses in Saint-Félicien, Lac-Saint-Jean.
- 48 Chemin Price is a gin with characteristics unique in the world, offering the ultimate aromatic experience of the boreal forest. Thanks to the fermentation of regional blueberry must, 48 plants and flowers hand-picked north of the 48th parallel are incorporated into this eau-de-vie, giving this contemporary gin an intense and complex character.
- La Liqueur Lily crème de menthe is a classic digestif reinvented in the style of Distillerie du Fjord. Made from wintergreen and wild mint harvested from the heart of the boreal forest, the liqueur has a natural golden colour that brings out the true character of its blended ingredients.
- La Liqueur Lily thé du Labrador is a unique digestif offering an experience that leaves no one indifferent. Made from Labrador tea, a signature plant of the boreal forest and a prized infusion ingredient, it offers subtle fruit and eucalyptus notes with a hint of bitterness. The blend also includes vanilla-scented balsam poplar buds, wild raspberry leaves, and sumac, creating an experience that is both complex and comforting.
- Finally, a few "ready-to-drink" products round out the selection: Gin fizz aux bleuets, Lilymonade, Cosmo, and Smash, available only in the boutique.
Distillery products are available at the SAQ, with select items also sold online.
Sustainable development: a major issue
The Bouchard family is dedicated to applying sustainable development principles across most aspects of their business, including a building constructed to high energy standards, electric production equipment, responsible harvesting, and waste recovery.
Distillerie du Fjord employs 8 permanent staff, plus 6 casual workers during the plant harvest.
Three mornings a week, reservation-only guided tours feature the distillery's spirits. The tours take visitors on a discovery journey through the production process, the interpretation of boreal forest ingredients, and a tasting.
Distillerie du Fjord is a family-run entrepreneurial adventure driven by passion and quality, with a single goal: to give lovers of these original products a unique experience.
Summer can't come soon enough for the cocktail terrace
In an interview with marketing manager Frédérique Folly, we learn that visitors will be able to enjoy a terrace next to the distillery starting in summer 2023. The retail space is too limited to offer this pleasant service. Cocktails made from the distillery's products can be tasted there.
The website features several cocktail recipes for those looking to experiment and discover new flavours.
Distillerie du Fjord
distilleriedufjord.com
48, chemin de Price
Saint-David-de-Falardeau
Québec G0V 1C0
418 673-1012