The spirits are the work of master distiller Martin Brisson, a former sculptor and collector of bottles rejected by the sea. Raw materials, no matter what they are, have always been the focus of his work. “He’s an artist. It explains why the distillery is such a mess, but also why what he’s doing is completely nuts. Once an artist, always an artist!” chuckles Boissonneau.

For Menaud, the bottle is a muse. The team took their time in crafting the shape; nothing was left to chance. “Our bottle is heavy and massive like a log. It embodies what Menaud stands for. The green colour is a reference to the Charlevoix forests.” The super sleek bottle design represents modern- ity, while the wood cap pays tribute to trad- ition. Under each one hides a sentence inspired by the novel Master of the River.

The bottle’s shape also inspired the design of the still, which was manufactured in British Columbia according to plans co-created by the team. The device has a production capacity of 250,000 bottles per year. Entering the distillery and standing before it, it’s as if you were standing before a masterful sculpture or a cathedral organ: the majesty reduces you to silence. Here again, tradition and modernity go hand in hand: copper for the former, steel for the latter.

For Menaud, it’s important to create spirits from the grain to the bottle, even if it requires more work, knowledge, and investment. Boissonneau calls this his romantic approach: “The involvement of nature in the aromas and flavours of our products is undeniable. The wheat and rye we use to make vodka and gin come from L’Isle-aux-Coudres, from the Harvey family. We’d also like to use their barley for our whisky. I think the seasonal nature of botanicals and grains, their origin, the way in which they were picked, the flora and fauna, all have a direct influence on the flavour of our creations. They yield a refined, complex taste.”

In Québec, most distillers use neutral alcohol from Ontario to create their spirits. But this alcohol doesn’t have the same qualities as a local vodka, like Menaud’s. They are two completely different worlds, claims Boissonneau. “There’s a lot of education to be done. Right now, people don’t quite realize the added value in a grain-to-bottle approach—in any case, not enough for it to be profitable. It’ll take a lot of work, but it’ll come.”

The vodka produced by Menaud is one of only a handful from Québec to grace the shelves of the SAQ (publicly owned provincial alcohol retailer). The Menaud team is very proud of this fact, and looking to change how the public sees vodka: “Our goal is to restore its prestigious status. We want neophytes to start thinking of vodka as an artisanal product that can be savoured, to the same degree as a gin or whisky.” The product’s description reminds us that it was made to taste like what Charlevoix represents. The addition of wheat gives the liquid a silky-smooth texture and imparts the grain’s aromas. The rye adds a spicy, mineral quality typical of traditional vodkas. Thanks to double distillation, it is absolutely pure.

As for their gin, it has taken 100 recipes and meticulous experiments with a great number of plants to arrive at the right formula. The infusion is made with a mix of 13 botanicals before being filtered through glasswort. Every sip evokes the sea, fields, and mountains, with woody notes, saline aromas, and a peppery, floral touch.

How does one savour a glass of Menaud spirits, and where? “As is, pure, or with one ice cube. Nothing else! For me, the Port- au-Persil waterfall is the perfect place to drink it. Grégoire might choose the banks of the Petite Rivière instead, and Enrico, his sailboat, crossing the river,” answers Boissonneau.

What is it about the air in Charlevoix that makes its inhabitants so talented? They are madly in love with the place, for one thing. And there’s a desire to showcase the land through authentic know-how, while respecting the environment and its resources. Within the next five years, the “Messieurs B” will offer lovers of fine spirits many creations, and a variety of grain profiles stemming from the mountains, forests, and fields of Charlevoix. When he thinks of the company and its values, Boissonneau likes to recall these words from Master of the River : “It’s a madness like no other!” 

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Mélanie Gagné est créatrice de contenu et enseignante à Matane. Le fleuve, toujours là dans son histoire depuis l’enfance, l’impressionne, l’émerveille, l’apaise, l’inspire. Elle aime la vie en région avec sa famille, les randonnées sur la grève et en montagne, les marchés publics, la poésie et les cafés.