rye made for whisky-lovers, by whisky-lovers

Sons of Vancouver is an independently owned distillery based on Vancouver’s North Shore. Founded on the conviction that rye is the most expressive grain in whisky, the distillery is part of a new generation of producers exploring its full potential.

Widely known for its No. 82 Amaretto, Sons of Vancouver is now centered on a long-term, flavour-driven rye whisky program dedicated to exploring the grain’s full expressive range.

Meet the Team

  • A man with glasses and a beard holding a glass of whiskey and whisky thief, standing next to a large wooden barrel in a distillery. Several other barrels are stacked on racks in the background.

    James Lester

    FOUNDER - PARTNER - CEO
    One of the founding owners of SOV, James started the distillery in 2015 with a tiny budget and a big dream. With a background in instrumentation and control for the oil and gas sector, he designed and built the distillery by hand. James has an encyclopedic-like knowledge of whiskies, and an in-depth understanding of the alcohol industry. He spent time making bourbon at a distillery in Seattle, Washington, where he grew his love for the business. He makes sure the bills get paid and is the leading expert in answering emails professionally.

  • A woman with dark hair and glasses, wearing a gray and white striped shirt, is using a whisky thief to sample whisky from a large barrel. She is holding a glass of whisky in her other hand, standing in front of shelves filled with barrels and boxes.

    Jenna Diubaldo

    PARTNER - BLENDER - WHISKY PROGRAM MANAGER
    Jenna oversees the whisky program at the distillery, managing the cask inventory and leading blending processes for all whisky releases. A graduate of the Siebel Institute of Technology, she holds a certificate in brewing technology which sparked her love of yeast and fermentation and the role it plays in flavour development in whisky. She originally planned to open a distillery in her hometown of Winnipeg, MB, but jumped at the chance to move out to BC to join the production team at Sons of Vancouver, eventually becoming a partner in 2022. She appreciates a dram served neat, as well as a boozy slushy served ice cold.

  • A man wearing glasses and a casual jacket pouring a clear liquid from a bottle into a glass of ice at a bar with various liquor bottles on shelves in the background.

    Emmet Groves

    PARTNER - BAR CONSULTANT
    A veteran of the Vancouver bartending industry, if there’s a solid cocktail bar in town there’s a good chance Emmet had something to do with it. The bars he’s managed in the past are too long list here, but suffice it to say he makes a damn good cocktail. He ensures the tasting room is staffed by extremely talented bartenders and that our cocktail menu punches well above its weight.

  • Stuart Mckinnon

    DISTILLERY & PRODUCTION MANAGER
    Stuart is the backbone of the distillery, responsible for all fermentation and production of spirits at the distillery. He trained at the Institute of Brewing and Distilling, with a background in Biological and Applied Science. He spent a decade working in the wine industry, before helping to develop and launch the namesake Lohin McKinnon Single Malt brand at Central City Brewers & Distillers, where he worked as Head Distiller. He also spent time working at Springbank Distillery running their bottling hall, so he’s certainly got the best whisky collection of all the SOV staff.

  • Albert Alberastine

    BAR MANAGER
    Bartender by night, DJ/B-Boy also by night (we actually have no idea what he does in the daytime), Albert keeps the cocktails at the distillery tasting juuuuust right. He lends a style and charm to the distillery that makes us feel cool just by association. He’s currently training to become a professional wrestler and we’re 100% not even joking.

  • Court Boesner

    BARTENDER
    Bringing the good vibes every weekend, Court is a member of our bar team and can be found slinging drinks at the distillery every Friday and Saturday. To say that their customer service is exceptional is an understatement, as they currently hold the record for most 5-star reviews ever attributed by name to one of our bartenders.

  • Shea Hogan

    You can find Shea behind the bar once a week for Surfs Up Sunday, serving up tiki classics and originals that will make you feel like you’ve ben transported to a tropical paradise. Formerly the manager at The Shameful Tiki Room, Shea co-created their syrup brand and also runs Poco Soap Co, western Canada’s most environmentally friendly (and handsome) soap company — where does he find the time?!