SAQ stops selling dozens of Quebec-made gins

Gin is a classic British spirit, but dozens of Quebec distillers have taken to making it their own, embracing James Bond’s favourite drink. The SAQ, however, is not doing Quebec’s gin distillers many favours. Even though the provincial alcohol sales monopoly has sometimes promoted local producers, it removed more than 50 Quebec-made gin products from their stores to make shelf space. It stunts the growth of the province’s home-grown spirits industry, which saw sales rise by 75% between 2019 and 2022.

“There’s a romance associated with small and local,” Professor Vivek Astvansh told The Walrus. “If consumers see that a distillery is local, they tend to want to try their product.”