Once upon a fall, the d’Eschambault family buys a 10, 000-tree maple syrup farm, beside our country paradise and home, up in the mountains of Sutton, in Quebec. The highs, the lows, the lessons… All started there…

Being a guy who grew up outside of Quebec, what did I really knew about Maple trees? NOTHING. But I was willing to learn. I NEVER THOUGHT I would have made so many discoveries like the ones I will share in our story

One of my wonderful discoveries was meeting our MS (Master Syrup maker) of the woods, André. With 30 years’ experience tapping, pouring, boiling, and bottling the golden nectar of our home in Quebec. His red flannel shirt stained with sap, and his big smile heading out every morning. His snowshoes flying over the snow while he sang… he attempted to teach me the secrets, at least he tried.

In early spring, I asked André « C’mon! …let’s get going, when are we starting?!, the trees are tapped, the sun is shining, spring is here!!»He slowly smiled, took a puff from his pipe, looked up at the sky, sat back down on a stump, looked up at me and said calmly… «The girls were up late and they’re sleeping in». GIRLS? WHAT?

That is when he took me deep into the woods, to a large, beautiful, and tall Maple tree. He revealed the maple «secret» to me there, that day. He said «Roger, you may think this is a Maple farm. In fact, it is a colony of teenage girls, and sorry to tell you, not you, not me but THEY run this place». He leaned in and whispered towards the bark. I thought I was dreaming because I swear, I heard her whisper back… he then slowly caught my gaze and said: « Did you hear that, they are giggling, in fact they are laughing… at you! » He smiled, and gently touched her bark… and then walked slowly over the snow, back to the maple house to polish and prepare the season’s equipment and wait… until THEY were ready.

A few weeks later, we finally got our BARREL ONE. André gave me a taste. I was skeptical but I understood. A taste wave invades me, soft and strong at the same time but above all alive, yes alive. And I heard them, distinctly this time. The girls, I heard them laughing. That's when our REBELLE bottle was born, no other name could better define the spirit of our trees who, like André says, «stay up too late, get going too late and decide to run in the middle of the night just to drive him crazy! »

Sadly, one day, after the snow had melted, André announced that the «girls» were in my hands now, the rest was up to me, and he was leaving.

Since that day, every year we will put aside BARREL ONE, the FIRST of the new season. Darker, richer, smoky and distinct. The very first of their gift. WARNING: It is not a traditional maple syrup taste; it is reserved for those who understand the secret. Every year will be different, and their annual story will be told in the Rebelle bottles available each season

We hope you will appreciate our REBELLE. Its name was first given to the first barrel of each new season. May REBELLE remind us that in the end, as is our slogan, nature decides.

Roger