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- Gin375 is produced by CIRKA, the first grain-to-bottle distillery in Quebec.
- It is an old tom style gin, distilled with cranberries and sour cherries.
- I bought a bottle at the distillery after a tour in 2024.
Located in Montreal, CIRKA is the first grain-to-bottle distillery in Quebec. Like many, they dreamed of making whiskey, but in order to make that dream come true, they had to make something else while they waited for it to age. CIRKA makes three gins. The first is Gin Sauvage which uses thirty three-three botanicals. The next, is their beautiful Navy Strength Gin which comes in at a whopping 114.2 proof but is still delicious enough to sip on. The final is GIN375 made to celebrate Montreal's 375th anniversary.
I visited CIRKA on July 20, 2024 and enjoyed a tour and tasting led by Master Distiller Isabelle Rochette. CIRKA was founded in 2014 and began full production in 2016. Their base spirit is made from 100% Quebec corn. It is twice distilled to make their gin which is flavored with botanicals often locally foraged. The gin is distilled in its own copper still named Homer in honor of the distillery owner's father.
GIN375 is an old tom style gin. It is distilled with botanicals from the Boreal forest, including rose, mint, larch, and spruce. Cranberries and sour cherries lend a rich amber color to the gin. The final product is lightly sweetened with honey from the Laurentian Mountains. The result is an earthy gin that is equally enjoyable neat or in a cocktail.
Bottled at 40 ABV, GIN375 is available in 500 ml bottles for about $40 CAD, less than $30. Tours of the distillery are available in both English and French for $25 CAD. CIRKA is a nice place to visit with a very good collection of spirits. Beyond gin, they have vodka, whiskey, and three different liqueurs, pomelo, passion, and folklore. CIRKA is worth a visit and I'm happy to have added GIN375 as the 100th bottle in the collection.
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