The CIRKA Cocktail Library
Great cocktails begin with great spirits.
Every recipe starts with spirits we distill from scratch in Montréal. Whisky, gin, vodka and liqueurs, all made grain to bottle. Pick a spirit, pick a moment, pour something worth the effort.
A distillery's cocktail library
At CIRKA we build flavour from scratch, distilling Québec grain into whisky, gin, vodka and liqueurs, then designing cocktails around what those spirits actually taste like.
This is our cocktail library: more than 70 recipes, each one created to show off a specific CIRKA spirit. Some are two-minute highballs for a Tuesday. Others are stirred, bitter, and built for a slow evening.
Browse by spirit if you already have a bottle open. Browse by moment if you are looking for an apéritif, a brunch pour, or a nightcap. Every recipe tells you exactly which CIRKA bottle to reach for, and where to find it.
The recipes are developed by our brand ambassadeur, Gizmo Sirois, and our bar team, so the balance is tested, not guessed.
All recipes
Mephistopheles
Mephistopheles is a spicy vodka mule with lime, honey syrup, and ginger beer, crisp and refreshing with a measured chili kick.
Tutu Pele
The Tutu Pele combines passion liqueur, chili vodka, lime, coconut syrup, and ginger beer for a tropical, spicy, and refreshing cocktail.
Exposed Martinez
The Exposed Martinez combines chili vodka, red vermouth, Cynar, and Luxardo, garnished with a flamed orange peel for a smoky, sophisticated cocktail.
Sunday Caesar
The Sunday Caesar blends chili vodka, sake, soy, and Walter’s Caesar mix with an Asian spice rim and brochette garnish for a savory, uniquely Canadian...
Chili Margarita
The Chili Margarita blends chili vodka, fresh lime and orange, agave syrup, and a holy mole rim for a bold, spicy, and refreshing cocktail.
Cacao Caliente
Cacao Caliente is a cozy winter cocktail with Chili Vodka, coconut milk, pineapple, and chocolate syrup, served with a spiced sugar and nut rim and...
Why these cocktails taste different
We grow the flavour from scratch.
Most distilleries buy neutral alcohol and add flavour. We do the opposite. CIRKA is a true grain-to-bottle distillery: we start with Québec grain and control every step, mashing, fermenting, distilling and bottling, on the Lachine Canal in Montréal.
Cocktail FAQ
CIRKA gin, vodka, whisky and liqueurs are sold at the SAQ across Québec and at our distillery boutique in Montréal.
Many recipes require only three or four ingredients. Gin & Tonic, Mule, Paloma and Whisky Highball are excellent places to start.
Yes. CIRKA is a true grain-to-bottle distillery, which means we start with Québec grain and control every step, mashing, fermenting, distilling and bottling, on site in Montréal. Most distilleries buy neutral alcohol and re-flavour it. We do not.
Yes. We host cocktail classes, tastings and private events at the distillery, and our guided tours end with a tasting. Book a tour or enquire about an event.