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Distillerie des Marigots yesterday unveiled its first product: Récif, The seaside gin. Unable to receive guests at their Caplan facilities due to the sanitary measures in place, the co-owners, Joseph St-Denis Boulanger and Laurie-Anne Cloutier, opted for a launch via Facebook and Instagram, in which 320 people took part.

Récif gin reflects the richness of the Gaspé region with its mossy woodland glades, its fields of wildflowers and its scents of the sea. The 14 indigenous and locally grown botanicals that go into its composition are meticulously chosen to create a complex and surprising spirit. “Récif gin is a nod to the coastal environment where it is distilled; the name refers to the many reefs near the shore along the Gaspé coast,” explained Joseph St-Denis Boulanger, the Distillerie des Marigots’ master distiller.

Botanicals from the Gaspé Peninsula
To create Récif, Joseph set himself a major challenge: all the herbs and spices used in its composition had to come from the Gaspé Peninsula. “Once the aromatic direction was defined, the search for ingredients likely to provide the desired aromas began, drawing on my own knowledge and by seeking out herbalists and harvesters. Each ingredient was distilled and studied individually to thoroughly understand its aromatic profile.”

In addition to the juniper berries, angelica root and coriander seed traditionally used in gins, a host of far-from-traditional herbs sourced in the Gaspesian terroir enter into the composition of Récif: mugwort flower, balsam poplar bud, fused and sheep polypores, lemon balm leaf, green alder catkin, fireweed flower, young tamarack shoot, caraway seed, cow parsnip seed, Scottish lovage leaf and wild rose bud. “All these ingredients are sourced in the wild and responsibly harvested, except for two locally grown ingredients: coriander seed and lemon balm leaf,” pointed out Joseph.
When tasted, the juniper berry is clearly evident, as are the hints of citrus, spices and roots. “Récif’s top notes feature dark honey aromas with a fragrant roundness and earthy accents evolving towards a hint of citrus and wildflowers, before giving way to a long spicy finish.”

Marketing
The first bottles of Récif gin will be sold on the premises at the end of November. The SAQ order will leave in early December and should be on the shelves in early 2021.