The Daily Wine Paris & Vinexpo Paris - Day 2

I EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW I
QUEBEC'S MICRODISTILLERIES
Capturing the distinctive
flavours of an outstanding terroir
Canada's French-speaking province has seen explosive
growth in microdistilleries over the past five years as
gins, vodkas, brandies and other spirits spark interest.
We spoke to Geneviève Laforest, development agent
for the Union Québécoise des Microdistilleries (UQMD),
who is giving a masterclass today.
What is the history of Quebec's
microdistilleries?
It's really a very young industry.
The first microdistillery in Quebec
launched in 1998. Then there was
this huge gap until 2016. Since 2016,
60 distilleries have opened. There's
enthusiasm for local products,
motivated mostly by the beer
industry, which has, I would say, 10
years advance on the distilleries.
There's been an interest in making
our own alcohol.
How do the spirits produced by
Quebec's microdistilleries reflect
the province?
With flavours coming from everything
from local herbs to potatoes to
seaweed, the spirits represent a
way to bottle the terroir or natural
environment of Quebec. There's gin
and vodka. Whiskies are coming out.
I think we're striving to make the best
whiskey in the world.
Can you give us a sense of the
scale on which the microdistilleries
operate?
In terms of volume, it's not industrial.
It's really more craft.
We're taking more and more share of
the spirits market in Quebec with our
microdistilleries. The big brands see
their share go down a bit.
What new products are being
showcased at Wine Paris & Vinexpo
Paris 2022?
There's a new category of spirit
called Acerum. Acer means maple
in Latin. We use maple water that
we ferment and put in casks. It
tastes a bit like rum. It's the same as
fermenting sugarcane, but we start
with maple water. It's brand new and
you can taste it here. It has very high
potential for export. We have also
submitted our candidacy for the next
Vinexpo Explorer in 2023.
How much of the production
of Quebec's microdistilleries is
exported?
Export becomes very important to
develop the distilleries and their
markets, as well as developing local
agrotourism around the distilleries,
so people can come and buy local
products on site, exclusive batches.
Exports are very small for the
moment. It doesn't represent 10%
of the market. It's so young. There's
Japan, Singapore, Germany, France
and the United States.
Now we're conquering the world. If
we can double exports in the next
five years we will be very happy. We
see potential in American markets
and European markets. There's
a natural camaraderie between
Quebec and France, so we're really
hoping to open the market here in
France.
How many people work in the
sector and what is your role?
There are about 300 to 350 direct
jobs and about 200 indirect jobs.
I'm the developing agent for the
industry, so I help with exports. I
help with unifiying all the numbers.
I am working on marketing and
promoting the industry in Quebec
but also in the rest of Canada
DISCOVER THE SPIRIT AND VARIETY
OF AN OUTSTANDING TERROIR, BOTTLED
BY THE MICRO-DISTILLERS OF QUEBEC
HALL 3
ROOM 3 ON! > M-195 - BE SPIRITS
Today, Tuesday, 15 February,
3:30 pm - 4:30 pm
THE DAILY • TUESDAY 15 TH FEBRUARY 2022 • 11