Some innovative products. Cirka is a small distillery that produces high quality spirits. They…read moredesigned their own still. We visited the distillery on a Saturday, there was no production activities. The tasting was informative and the bar area is comfortable.

We did the tasting tour today and had Sean as our guide. It was a wonderful tour. Sean is very…read moreknowledgeable and very entertaining. We enjoyed the tour and tastings and highly recommend the Cirka tasting tour in Montreal.

L'endroit est magnifique et leurs produits sont excellents. J'ai adoré ma visite, je compte bien y…read moreretourner!

Happened to see the signs for this place on the way to our next destination after we couldn't find…read morethe winery we were initially headed to and i'm so glad we stopped! The woman who was running the shop was very kind and told us all about each of the products. Everything is made from blackcurrants; they have syrups, gelato, preserves, and wines. We ended up buying one of each of the wines and a bottle of the syrup, all of which are very reasonably priced. Would definitely recommend to anyone passing through the area.

Cherry River Distilleries was my first stop in Magog and a great spot for local spirits. It's…read morehoused in a quaint old church just a couple blocks off the Rue Principale Ouest and made for an interesting experience, browsing gin, vodka, and rum under stained glass windows. The whole first floor is arrayed with their many spirit options, along with cold cases for canned cocktails and mocktails. A distillery tour was just starting when we arrived, so we got to take a quick look around at the former sanctuary-turned-display area before it was cordoned off. If you want to take a tour, you need to make reservations ahead of time. Even with the tour going on, they still had all their offerings in a shop area right at the entrance. After browsing around, the Tall Man and I asked to taste a few options at the register area. (The staff recommended taking a look before tasting, since they have so many options.) We were excited to discover that their rums are made with sugar cane juice from Martinique à la rhum agricole (vs. made with molasses like other Caribbean rums). Although I speak enough French to travel, the staff helpfully explained the different offerings in English so that the Tall Man could better understand. In the end, we picked up a few bottles of the spiced rum for ourselves and as gifts (I usually don't like spiced or flavored rums, but theirs was really good!), as well as their whisky (interesting and super smooth) and one of their gins (very herby). We overloaded our suitcases from the start of our trip, but it was worth it. Everyone loved their gifts, and we've been enjoying this taste of Quebec at home. The mocktails are pretty well balanced and not too sweet. It was also a plus to see Cherry River spirits served at bars and restaurants around Magog. We will be back, hopefully for a tour! One note: We visited with a baby and stroller. Due to recent snow, the ramp was blocked. There isn't much space inside to push a stroller anyways, though, so we folded it up and put it in a corner while one of us hung out with the baby close to the entrance. (Very cramped quarters, but it worked.) In the future we would probably use a baby carrier or leave the stroller outside if it hadn't been snowing.

Hands down the best experience we had while visiting Montreal! From the moment we walked in, our…read moregroup of 8 was treated like family (in the best way!). We were early and our table wasn't quite ready yet, so they kindly found space for us at the kitchen bar. Turns out that was a perfect place to for us to wait. We were able to talk to Chef Heather and watch her work her magic on the dishes she was plating. We took advantage of this time to order the deviled eggs and some drinks. Loved the eggs! Once we moved to our table, we all noticed that even though we may have had a designated server, everyone that we spoke to graciously treated us like we were the most important people they were taking care of that night. The teamwork amongst the staff was incredible to see and feel. At one point, Fred let us know that they only had 2 buns left, so if we wanted a burger, he needed to know immediately and he would save them for us. Two things stood out about that conversation. First, they make their bread in house and once the buns for that day are gone, no other burgers will be sold. Second, I believe Fred just happened to hear us discussing the menu and heard someone say they were going to get the burger. At that point, he stepped in to share the news about the buns and gave us the option to put those on hold even though everyone else was not ready to order yet. He certainly could have pretended he didn't hear us and we would have been none the wiser, but his attention to customers and their experience really made an impression on all us. In addition to excellent customer service by everyone, the food we had was fantastic. Personally, I had the scallops and thoroughly enjoyed the dish. After dessert, Fred was kind enough to sit down with us and share some of his favorite spots for food and drink. Half of our crowd actually ran into him later at one of his suggested bars, so his list was very honest! We all left that night with such amazing memories of our time at Projet Pilot and it will be the place we recommend for anyone visiting Montreal!

Came here for a couple drinks after poutine next door at Le Banquise and was met with a lovely…read moreatmosphere and a large variety of fairly priced beverages, some of which were made right on the premises. Score! I'm all about trying local products while traveling, so I was happy to find that many restaurants I came across in Canada double as microbreweries. I think Projet Pilote was one of my favorites for its range and the establishment's ambiance. Service was quick and attentive. Thanks! Would like to stop by again and perhaps try the food next time.

I spoke with David Howe, owner of Elm Brook Farm & Distillery at the Burlington Farmers Market this…read moreweekend. In recent years there have been many new Vermont spirit companies popping out the woodwork, including Whistlepig rye whiskey, Caledonia gin and vodka, and many others, so I asked David how his Maple Spirit and Sipping Vodka are different. David explained to me that his products are one of the very few amongst the crowd of competitors that actually use Vermont products and are distilled in Vermont. For example, Whistlepig Whiskey which is now extremely popular locally and thought of as a Vermont product, grows its rye and distills its whiskey in Canada. Elm Brook Farm uses maple grown on its Vermont farm and its own farm-based distillery to create its unique spirits, making it one of the very few Vermont spirits (not wine and beer) that's actually truly from Vermont. David was selling his two offerings, Rail Dog Barrel-Aged Maple Spirt and Literary Dog Vodka, at the market and I asked him to tell me more about them. Rail Dog Barrel-Aged Maple Spirit is created from Vermont maple grown on Elm Brook Farm. Tasting somewhere between cognac and whisky, it has flavors of vanilla and almond without the harshness associated with other aged spirits. Rail Dog is aged in American Oak barrels from Minnesota where the winters are long and cold so the tree rings are tight and protect the alcohol from air or moisture while it steeps in the oak flavors from the charred and toasted barrels. Literary Dog 23X-Distilled Vodka is small-batch artisanal vodka that begins with Elm Brook Farm maple sap. The slow distilling process produces a vodka that is smooth while maintaining the subtle characteristics of toffee and cream with a hint of sweet maple. Given this unique taste, LD Vodka is considered a sipping vodka and is meant to be sipped slowly to enjoy the flavor. The Farmers Market has so many interesting and diverse offerings. If you stop to speak to the owners that sell their wares there, you are sure to hear interesting stories and find that their products often are more than you might expect. This was the case for me when I stopped to learn more about Elm Brook Farm's delicious products. If you are interested in trying Elm Brook Farm's spirits, you can find them at: The Burlington Farmers' Market located at City Hall Park 8:30am - 2:00pm every Saturday from May 10 to October 25, 2014; The Stowe Farmers Market located on Rte. 108, Mountain Road about 2 miles from the intersection of Rte. 100 and Rte.108, next to the Red Barn Shops and across from The Stoweflake Resort from 10:30am - 3:00pm Sundays: June 1, 15, 29; July 13, 27; August 3, 17, 31; September 14, 28; and October 12, 2014; and At the Elm Brook Farm distillery in East Fairfield, Vermont. You can contact them at ebf@elmbrookfarm.com to schedule an appointment as they do not keep regular hours.

really want to impress your vodka loving friends, pour literary dog! soon you will have more…read morefriends!

Distillerie de Montréal's Rosemont & Honey Whiskey…read more Today, during a quick stop at the SAQ, I stumbled across two bottles from Distillerie de Montréal that immediately caught my attention. Being a whiskey and bourbon fan -- especially since the LCBO and SAQ don't always carry my usual imports anymore -- I've had to get more adventurous with my choices. Like most of us, I'm on the hunt for new favourites to add to my home bar. First, the Rosemont Whiskey grabbed me. Growing up around Rosemont, I felt an instant connection to it. Then I noticed their Honey Whiskey sitting next to it , so into my basket it went too -- there was no way I was leaving one behind! I decided to pour a glass of each as soon as I got home, and wow. That was honestly my first reaction. Then after another sip... wow again. These whiskeys are rich and surprising -- every sip uncovered a truckload of flavor, like they'd been waiting to shine all along. The Rosemont is smooth, balanced, and super drinkable while the honey version is warm and sweet without being too syrupy -- a luxurious finish that feels perfectly crafted. And here's the thing: as someone who normally reaches for classic bourbons and aged whiskeys , I wasn't expecting these local options to hit this hard. They absolutely deserve a top-shelf spot. Frankly, if I owned a bar, I'd feature these front and center -- these bottles are that good. Thanks, POTUS -- and all the weird import restrictions -- for pushing me to look local. This is one of those discoveries you want to shout about! In short: I'm in love, and I can't wait to introduce these bottles to friends and family at my next gathering. Cheers to Distillerie de Montréal -- you've earned a fan for life!

Awesome place, must stop. The owner has a passion for what they are doing and is super friendly and…read morewill stand behind their product...with obvious reason. Amazing alcohol.

I've thrown up once from alcohol. It was on my 21st birthday some decade ago on Burnett's vodka. I…read morehave never had a sip of Burnett's since. Over the years, I've drunk in moderation, and have had a fair variety of vodkas, but I'm certainly not the world's premier expert on vodka. But.. if I had to choose between my 21st birthday Burnett's or the lemon vodka by GMD, I'd choose Burnett's. GMD's vodka doesn't taste anything like what you'd expect from an acidic lemon. It tastes spoiled.. it tastes like the vodka was distilled in a sneaker. They seem genuinely interested in their craft, but the product I consumed was arguably one of the worst things I have ever taken in. I went out of this way to write this review because purchasing this was for sure my worst regret of 2021 (all purchases combined.. both alcohol and not).

Amazing experience. Thank you for the great presentation of…read morethe liquors. They are all special. The maple syrup is awesome. It's rich and has 3 different flavors. Thanks for letting us for tasting before buying. MUST visit here when you travel Vermont.

Really cute, small distillery. The gentleman inside, Conor was very nice and helpful. There's an…read moreoutside seating area to enjoy your drinks. The area is also pet friendly and dogs are welcome outside.