In Quebec, it's the distillery that is furthest north and east, 1200 km from Montreal. We are in Havre-Saint-Pierre, on the shores of the Gulf of Saint Lawrence, which is called the sea here. Let's open the bottles to taste the history and local flavors. Gin, vodka, and soon new products.
Creating the first distillery on the North Shore, north of the 50th parallel. "It's a bit crazy as a project, but at the same time, it allows us to stand out," explains Mario Noël, co-owner and production director. "I like to highlight the history of the region, with a man who left his mark there, Count Henry de Puyjalon." This Frenchman was the first lighthouse keeper in the archipelago, on L'Île-aux-Perroquets, in the late 19th century. A geologist by training and a passionate naturalist of fauna and flora, he wrote extensively about the region.
Harvesting locally for local flavors
The distillers started their gin production in December 2018, initially in small quantities to test their 44 recipes with different combinations of about forty aromatics. When they find the aromatic profile they like for this gin, they call it gin Betchewan (or Betchouane, which comes from the Innu language), named after an old village located 45 km east of Havre-Saint-Pierre, opposite L'Île à la Chasse where Puyjalon was buried. "When you open the bottle, you smell the aromas of the North Shore, the wood, the sea, and a mixture of all these aromas. When you taste it, all of that develops. And with the second sip, you have the Nordic berries in your mouth," says Mario Noël. The finish is long, fresh, and pleasant.
In this gin, there are 13 aromatics, eight of which come from Minganie: North Shore juniper, beach pepper, bayberry, Labrador tea, Scottish lovage, dried chaga, lingonberry, and cloudberry. They are harvested by specialized pickers from the region, from the Le Grenier boréal agroforestry solidarity cooperative in Longue-Pointe-de-Mingan and from the De baies et de sève company in Natashquan, who practice sustainably and responsibly.
The Niapiskau vodka and the new products
After gin, the distillery ventures into vodka, made from the same base, corn alcohol. In Havre-Saint-Pierre, it is distilled with water from the region, rich in minerals, drawn from 300 meters underground. With a filtration kit, the chlorine is removed, but the mineral content remains.
The majority of the gin and vodka production of Distillerie Puyjalon is distributed by the Société des alcools (SAQ). Some are sold at the distillery's shop, which organizes guided tours of its facilities during the summer.
At the end of winter 2021, two new spirits will be launched: an aged gin and a lingonberry liqueur. The recipe for a whiskey is currently being perfected.
Mario Noël shares the challenges the distillery is facing: "building a cellar, and growing rye, barley, we'll see if the climate and the region allow it."
As for the fans of Distillerie Puyjalon, they have formed a group on Facebook to exchange their cocktail recipes.
Written by: Christine Gilliet (Mots et marées)
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