sons of vancouver

November 4th, 2023- Sons of Vancouver Whisky and Tomato Wheels Lambrusco

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Updates on Sons of Vancouver Whisky and Tomato Wheels Lambrusco

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Welcome to Tasting Room Radio

James Lester – Co-Founder of Sons of Vancouver Distilling

We thought it was time to revisit two stories that caught our attention. Both are small companies that can get lost in all the posing and shouting of the sales business.  These are clever, talented and passionate friends who banded together to make their dreams come true.

Richard-Klaus.-James-Lester.-Jenna-Diubaldo-Sons-of-Vancouver.

Starting with Sons of Vancouver Distilling.  We first did a feature on SOV in March when they shocked the Canadian Whisky Awards by being the first craft distillery to win the 2023 Canadian Whisky of the Year in Victoria.

They lead with big flavours, high-rye expressions and prefer to bottle their whiskies at barrel-proof.

They release whisky in really really small batch quantity, 2-3 times a year!

Their labels give you an idea of how much fun they’re having….

 

  • Summer road trip across the Midwest
  • Marshmallows over a campfire
  • Cigarettes on a leather jacket
  • And the trophy winner  –  palm trees and a tropical breeze!

Core Products are:

  • No. 82 Amaretto
  • Chill Vodka
  • Junicopia Gin
  • Quadruple Sec
  • Vodka Vodka Vodka
  • Barrel-aged Amaretto
  • And others.

Our guest is the completely engaged and charming co-founder James Lester. We found him in an airport boarding lounge on his way to pour at the  Prince George market.

He had sent me a taste of their latest and sold-out whisky Desert Grass and Blue Agave

The back label starts with the line:

“The whisky you want your good friends to drink when you’re dead.”

this whisky will make you feel like you’re sipping a glass in a Mexican cantina.

 

100% rye aged in ex-bourbon barrels,  then finished in 3 separate mezcal barrels  A truly unique expression of rye that might just have you reaching for a slice of lime.

“It’s joyously good”  tdm

www.sonsofvancouver.ca


Moirae Choquette – Founder of Tomato Wheels

Moirae Choquette.

This original story was also in March of 2023.

It was a feature on outstanding Calgary sommelier Brad Royale and his company Kitten Swish.

Brad mentioned a Tomato Wheels Lambrusco that he had been involved in.

The founder of TW is Moirae Choquette whose specialty was highly creative marketing and communications concepts.

Moirae discovered Lambrusco and immediately started doing research on this sparkling red wine. The first thing she found was – you couldn’t find it.

A large gap in the various markets she was planning on.

She got a hold of Brad and asked him to advise on where she could find top Lambrusco growers in Emilia-Romagna, Italy.

Moirae is now working with a fourth-generation family-owned and operated vineyard in the Lambrusco pocket of Italy. They’ve been making Lambrusco since 1925

They are growing and creating an exclusive Lambrusco for her Tomato Wheels label.

Yes, it is worth all the work and time and $.  It’s a glorious adventure to taste this wine and immediately figure out what to pair with it.

I found Moirae in an airport in México. She’s planning to launch her Lambrusco in Mexico soon. She says – her favourite pairing is Mexican food. I say red sauce pasta.

Both winners because you follow with outstanding wine.

Lambrusco is highly recommended by the team at Tasting Room Radio.  Tomato Wheels is perfect for sharing and discovery over a meal. Italy in a glass.

www.tomatowheels.com

 

STORIES WE’RE WORKING ON

 

Swirl BC – huge wine pour in Vancouver.

From Wine BC  

 

 

 

 

March 18th. 2023- Guests – Davin De Kergommeaux, and distillery co-founder James Lester

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Guests – Davin De Kergommeaux (author/whisky specialist) and distillery co-founder James Lester

Davin De Kergommeaux – Author &  Whisky Specialist

DAVIN DE KERGOMMEAUX is an independent expert who has been writing, talking and teaching about whisky in all its forms and flavours for two decades.

DAVIN DE KERGOMMEAUX

He is the world’s leading authority on Canadian whisky and has been called “Canada’s unofficial whisky ambassador” as well as being named one of the most influential Canadians in Food and Drink by The Globe and Mail in 2016. Davin is the founder and chairperson of the prestigious Canadian Whisky Awards!

James Lester –  co-founder Sons of Vancouver Distillery

Jenna Diubaldo  Richard Klaus James Lester

Sons of Vancouver is a small distillery on Vancouver’s North Shore. It was born out of a young, foolhardy desire to follow passions and contribute to a growing community of independent distillers. Best known for the ever-popular No. 82 amaretto, the distillery is now running a growing whisky program and is very excited to bring super flavourful rye whiskies to the Canadian market.

Sons of Vancouver has shifted into whisky-making in a big way, with the goal of changing the standard for rye whisky in Canada. After becoming the first craft distillery to winCanadian Whisky of the Year’ at the 2023 Canadian Whisky Awards, achieving this goal never seemed so possible.

They lead with big flavours, and high-rye expressions, and prefer to bottle their whiskies at barrel-proof. By allowing the whisky itself to guide the blend, each bottling is unique and provides an outlet to highlight the many facets of rye grain achieved through fermentation, distillation, and maturation.

Currently, they release whisky in limited quantities, 2 to 3 times per year. In the very near future, Sons of Vancouver will have whisky on shelves much more often. Until then, sign up for their whisky mailing list to keep current on new whisky releases, tasting events, and more!

Watch out for these releases:

Summer Road Trip Across the Mid West

Marshmallows over a Campfire

Cigarettes on a Leather Jacket

PALM TREES AND A TROPICAL BREEZE

‘2023 Canadian Whisky of the Year – Canadian Whisky Awards

The 3rd limited-release whisky from Sons of Vancouver Distillery, this 100% rye whisky was aged in used American oak, blended and transferred into bourbon barrels, and finally, rested in Virgin Islands rum casks. The rum undertones provide breezy tropical vibes that complement the natural rye spice perfectly.


The nose hits with pit-roasted pineapple and vanilla cigarillo, continuing with pine humidor and under-ripe banana on the palate. It finishes with allspice and demerara sugar, leaving you dreaming of daiquiris on the beach.

One of the founding owners of SOV, James Lester  started the distillery alongside best friend Richard Klaus and partner Jenna Diubaldo

 

 

Best of all they also run a 5-day Whisky making school.

Details at https://sonsofvancouver.ca/

and…

https://canadianwhisky.org/

  

STORIES WE’RE WORKING ON:

Van Wine Festival

Lt. Governors Awards

New releases from

Hillside

Mt Boucherie

Moon Curser

Unsworth