Vodka made from sheep's milk? Why Europe's Blacklion picked Kentucky as its new home
The latest spirit to hit Kentucky has little to do with this region’s coveted limestone water ― and everything to do with sheep's milk.
Blacklion Vodka ― an extremely unusual spirit made from the discarded whey in cheese production ― made its Louisville debut Friday evening at the 21c Museum Hotel on West Main Street. The launch party included appearances by the company’s founders, Tim and Tanya Spittle, as well as several Valais Blacknose sheep sporting rhinestone collars to celebrate the vodka's U.S. release as well as its upcoming distillery and farm in Paris, Kentucky, about 20 miles northeast of Lexington.
The Spittles are bringing their sheep’s milk English vodka right to the heart of bourbon country.
And while they’ve certainly raised a few eyebrows along the way, they’re excited to call Kentucky their United States home.
How is Blacklion Vodka made?
Creating their award-winning vodka with its cake-like nose and a silky smooth finish took nearly four years, the Spittles told a crowd at 21c Friday. The Spittles have friends, who are cheesemakers, and they set out to find a use for the whey that's discarded during the cheese-making process.
At first, the Spittles made a lot of “horrible things,” Tim told the room with a refreshing sense of laughter and humility. Some of the earliest vodka experiments even tasted like “smelly cheese.”
But they kept at it, and eventually, Blacklion and its exquisite, velvety vanilla finish was born. Today, Blacklion’s farm in the United Kingdom has about 2,000 sheep involved in the vodka-making process.
When the company decided to expand to the United States, the Spittles began looking for an area that celebrated spirits and agriculture. Friends introduced them to Kathy Meyer, who has been a shepherd in Kentucky for more than 40 years.
Kentucky was a natural fit, and now Meyer is building Blacklion’s flock in the United States.
Blacklion's Valais Blacknose sheep are conceived in Europe, and the embryos are frozen and shipped to Kentucky. The first of Blacklion’s Kentucky flock were born in December, Meyer said, and there are about 100 on the farm now. Another few dozen sheep are due in March.
It’s hard to know how long it will be before Blacklion can begin producing its vodka on the farm. Much of that is in Mother Nature’s hands, Meyer said.
When Blacklion’s Kentucky visitor’s center opens in the next two years or so, the Spittles expect the flock will help create a distillery experience unlike any other in the region. Valais Blacknose sheep are extremely gentle animals, who welcome pets on their soft, curly coats and eagerly greet strangers.
“These sheep have dispositions more like dogs, than livestock,” Meyer said. “It’s a little hard to get used to, actually.”
Since the sheep’s milk is at the heart of Blacklion vodka, they're excited about creating an agriculture experience on the property that goes beyond typical cocktails and tastings. The onsite experience will likely highlight milking, cheesemaking, and turning that discarded whey into vodka.
“Of all the states that we could look to, we needed to find the best makers of a spirit,” Tim Spittle said, of Kentucky. “We’re not coming in as a competitor because we’re a white spirit. The welcome we’ve had has been unbelievable.”
Where to buy Blacklion Vodka
The brand is accepting pre-orders on its website, blacklionvodka.com. It will also be available at select U.S. retailers soon. To stay updated, sign up for the brand's Friend of the Flock newsletter on its website.
Features columnist Maggie Menderski writes about what makes Louisville, Southern Indiana and Kentucky unique, wonderful, and occasionally, a little weird. Sometimes she writes about bourbon, too. Say hello at [email protected].
This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Blacklion Vodka made from sheep's milk makes Kentucky its home in US
