Being the first to join the Confrérie du baril at Distillerie St. Laurent is a real pleasure! To enhance the aromas of old Gin, an imperial gose spent several months ageing in these oak barrels. The botanicals are a carefully balanced blend between those of Gin St. Laurent and the classic Gose. The citrus fruit appears first, followed closely by the gose's iodine-like and saline character, made more complex by the addition of seaweed from the St. Lawrence River. Herbal, floral and woody notes then take over, recalling the whisky and gin previously held in the barrels. This exceptional product is an adventure, somewhere between the boreal forest and the seaside.
Gose is not a style I taste regularly. However, the description on the can really piqued my curiosity and I told myself that it was the perfect time to open it while the heat still has me sweating so much!
On the nose, it smells of cereals, lemons, and herbs. The aroma is incredibly fresh, almost like a sea breeze.
The beer is ochre-orange and the beautiful head forms quickly, then disappears in the blink of an eye.
On the palate, the flavours of lime, lemon and salt appear first, followed by bitterness somewhat unusual for the style. The woody flavour is prominent and brings a very pleasant herbaceous side probably coming from the barrels of gin.
Cereals also appear and a little acidity accompanies us throughout the sip. As for the finish, it leaves us with an iodine-like flavour accompanied by flavours of coriander seeds, herbs and a slight bitterness on the palate.
A complex Gose, superbly balanced, which deserves attention!
It’s super fresh, super original and super good!