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Canada is so well-branded when it comes to maple that there’s a maple leaf on the country’s flag. How many countries have this sort of synergy between a major product and their flag?
Maple syrup is produced at sugar shacks that are scattered around eastern Canada. At these shacks, not only is there the collection of maple sap, but also a seasonal celebration of all things maple. 72% of the world’s maple syrup production occurs in Quebec.
If you can’t make it out to eat and drink at a sugar shack in Quebec during the springtime harvest, attending a maple syrup tasting conference in Montreal is the next best thing. It’s a fantastic way to learn about the maple production process while getting to taste some delicious maple goodies.
One way to get a nice introduction to Montreal is to take a tour. Check out these excellent tour options & book now!
Booking A Maple Syrup Tasting in Montreal
If you want to go maple syrup tasting in Montreal without having to travel out to a sugar shack (or if it’s not the right time of year for a visit), head to Domaine Des 15 Lots.
Book your hotel in Montreal now!Domaine Des 15 Lots operates a sugar shack and collects maple sap from over 4,500 trees in the mountains of Quebec in St-Julien. Their wide variety of maple products is available at their store in Montreal, along with tastings that also serve as educational seminars about the production of maple.
Domaine Des 15 Lots only offers maple syrup tasting conferences on Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays, as of this writing. Separate sessions are offered in French and English.
The maple tastings are popular, so book in advance to make sure you don’t miss out.
Here are the three ways to book a Domaine Des 15 Lots Maple Syrup Conference
- Book a tasting and educational session in French on Get Your Guide
- Currently, you can only book French tasting sessions on GYG, not English. If you book through this link, you will be supporting my site. If you need your tasting to be conducted in English, please see the other options below.
- Book an MTL Passeport activity session by emailing via the Domaine Des 15 Lots website
- The MTL Passeport (website) is a unique offering from Tourisme Montreal that allows you to select activities from a list of fun options depending on your interests. I booked my Domaine Des 15 Lots tasting this way, courtesy of Tourisme Montreal. Get your MTL Passeport here
- Book a tasting and educational session in English or French on Airbnb
- Direct bookings for English and French education and tasting sessions are available via Airbnb Experiences.
Maple Syrup Conference At Domaine Des 15 Lots
Domaine Des 15 Lots is located in a quiet residential neighborhood of Viauville, which is just to the east of Montreal Olympic Park, the Botanical Garden, and many other top Montreal attractions.
I took the Metro to Viau and walked, though there are also buses that pass near the shop.
As soon as I arrived, I was offered a welcome coffee or tea. I was a bit early, so I browsed around the store, which, in addition to maple products, also sells wine and craft beer.
The store isn’t just for tastings; anyone can stop by at any time to shop or have a coffee at the cafe, which also serves pastries. The pastries only use maple sugar.
Each tasting hosts around 10 people. Natalie, the owner of the farm and shop, has been hosting these conferences since Summer 2024.
You might be thinking, “It’s maple syrup, how much can there be to learn?” but you’d be wrong.
I won’t share all the information I learned about Domaine Des 15 Lots and maple syrup production, as I want to keep the tasting and conference special for anyone who goes. Suffice it to say, I came out of the experience with a much better appreciation of maple.
First, we learned all about their business and the history of maple production while starting our tasting of a variety of maple products, including candy and other sweets.
We then learned more about the maple syrup production process, including harvesting and boiling.
We tried four different maple syrups and learned what makes each of them unique.
We also watched a few videos, along with the presentation slides, while consuming other snacks. Take note, corporate managers, if you want people to pay attention to your boring presentations, give them various forms of sweet maple.
Then it was time for another Canadian maple snack you may have seen before: maple taffy.
If you’re visiting Canada during the summer months, you might think that you’ll miss out on this wintertime treat. Hot maple syrup is poured on snow, then rolled on a stick to be eaten as a sweet snack.
Thanks to some trays of snow, we all got to try our hand at rolling maple taffy, even though it was a hot May day in Montreal. It was fun (and messy!)
Finally, those of us who were old enough to drink got to try one last maple product. Maple liqueurs are made from fermented maple syrup (which legally makes them maple wine).
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After our tasting and conference, which lasted about 90 minutes, it was time to head back to the shop area. As you might have figured out, the tasting is a great way for Domaine Des 15 Lots to introduce visitors to their products. Of course, you have zero obligation to buy anything to take home.
The Domaine Des 15 Lots maple tasting is a fun and unique experience for foodies in Montreal. It’s a great way to learn about maple syrup production and enjoy great maple products without leaving the city.
Here are some other great Montreal tours.
