Whisky No.4
Four year Quebec corn and rye whisky
Whisky No.4 is the fourth whisky in CIRKA’s series of small batch releases. It is a four year old Canadian whisky distilled from Quebec corn and rye, using spring water sourced in St Maurice that was first discovered in 1894. Light, easy to sip and bottled without added colour or chill filtration, it is a true everyday delight in the CIRKA whisky lineup.
42 percent alc./vol.
750 ML
Base: 95 percent St Jean corn, 5 percent Yamachiche rye
Water: Spring water from St Maurice, discovered in 1894
Filtration and colour: Non chill filtered, no colour added
Nose: Complex and very aromatic, with spice and balanced fruit. Toasted nuts and leather slowly appear as the whisky opens.
Palate: Mineral and floral undertones with a honey like texture that coats the back of the palate. Rye spice shows through with soft roasted nut notes reminiscent of fresh bread.
Finish: Delicate yet spicy, warm and gently persistent with cereals and toasted hazelnut impressions.
A four year Quebec whisky built on corn and rye
Whisky No.4 starts with a simple idea. Take Quebec corn and rye, pair them with historic spring water from St Maurice and let time and careful distillation do the rest. The blend is 95 percent St Jean corn for sweetness and texture, and 5 percent Yamachiche rye for structure and spice.
Distilled and aged for four years, No.4 is designed to be light and easy to sip without feeling thin. It is non chill filtered and has no added colour, so what you see in the glass comes from corn, rye, wood and time. This is the whisky that local media describe as smooth, gourmand and long, with wood and spice notes that make you want to pour it into all your favourite cocktails.
Grain, cask and character
Whisky No.4 sits in a very specific place in the CIRKA range. Where Whisky No.2 explores single grain corn with triple cask finishing and Whisky No.3 leans into rye and Oloroso sherry, No.4 is a corn forward blend with a rye edge and a focus on drinkability. The corn component, made from St Jean corn, is first aged, then finished for 15 months in Sauternes barrels, which adds a quiet layer of honeyed fruit and depth before it is blended with Yamachiche rye. The St Jean corn gives body and a honey like texture, while the rye brings structure, spice and a gentle roasted bread note.
On the nose you will find spice, fruit, vanilla, toasted nuts and a touch of leather, lifted by that Sauternes influence. On the palate, mineral and floral undertones sit under a rounded, honey like texture, with rye spice and roasted nut notes reminiscent of fresh bread. The finish is warm, delicate and spicy, with cereals and hazelnut that feel both comforting and refined. It is the kind of whisky that works for people just getting into Quebec whisky and for drinkers who already follow the small batch series and want something a little lighter and more gourmand for daily sipping.
It is the kind of whisky that works for people just getting into Quebec whisky and for drinkers who already follow the small batch series and want something a little lighter and more gourmand for daily sipping.
Distilled by CIRKA
Whisky making as an accumulation of details
CIRKA pays close attention to all of the spirits it produces, but whisky gets a little more love. Visitors to the distillery are often surprised by how much complexity can be found in whiskies that are four years old. The answer is that whisky making here is treated as an accumulation of subtle details, from grain sourcing and yeast pairing to mash profile, distillation cuts and cask work.
As Quebec’s first grain to bottle distillery, CIRKA works with local farmers and maltsters and applies creativity and know how to tradition. Whisky No.4 fits into that narrative as a regional Canadian whisky that could only come from Montréal, St Jean corn fields, Yamachiche rye and spring water from St Maurice.
FAQ
Whisky No.4 is a four year Canadian whisky in CIRKA’s small batch series. It is a blend of two whiskies, 95% St Jean corn and 5% Yamachiche rye, uses spring water from St Maurice and is bottled at 42 percent with no added colour and no chill filtration.
In Quebec, you can find Cirka No4 at the SAQ under code 15012397 and at the CIRKA distillery shop in Montréal.
The best starting point is neat or with a splash of water. That is where you will see the spice, vanilla, toasted nuts, leather and honey like texture most clearly. From there, it is also very comfortable in simple highballs and in cocktails like the Shakespear that lean into its fruit and nut character.
No. Whisky No.4 does not use peated malt. Its flavor is built around corn sweetness, rye spice, toasted nuts, cereal and subtle wood and vanilla rather than smoke.
No. Whisky No.4 is non chill filtered and has no added colour. The amber hue and texture you see in the glass are natural and come from the grains, spring water and maturation, not from caramel colouring or heavy filtration.
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