Award-winning sheep’s milk vodka to make U.S. launch in Lexington, plans production

Janet Patton
·3 min read

Kentucky has long been home to craft bourbon makers but a new rare spirit is taking innovation to a new level.

BLACKLION Vodka, produced in the United Kingdom, is launching U.S sales in Lexington with plans for production in Kentucky in the future.

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What makes this vodka unique? It’s made from sheep’s milk. Specifically from a hybrid of the Swiss Valais Black Nose sheep. These sheep thrive in the Cotswolds region of England, where they are raised for wool and cheese production.

Making cheese creates a lot of leftover whey, as in “curds and whey.” And Cotswold farmers Tim and Tanya Spittle wondered if they could use the whey to make vodka. After years of trial and error, they found that they could, even wowing reviewers and winning awards.

BLACKLION Vodka, which is made in the Cotswolds in the United Kingdom from sheep’s milk whey, is launching in Lexington, Kentucky.
BLACKLION Vodka, which is made in the Cotswolds in the United Kingdom from sheep’s milk whey, is launching in Lexington, Kentucky.

There are only a handful of sheep’s milk-based vodkas in the world.

It’s what is known as a “sipping” vodka, rather than one just used for cocktails, Spittle said. It isn’t fiery or aggressive, he said, but with notes of toffee and chocolate and very smooth, with a long finish. “Some in the UK have likened it to a white whiskey,” he said.

BLACKLION Vodka is a sipping vodka, but also can be used in cocktails. It’s made from sheep’s milk.
BLACKLION Vodka is a sipping vodka, but also can be used in cocktails. It’s made from sheep’s milk.

But it does work well in cocktails, such as the Dirty Sheepdog, their version of an espresso martini, Spittle said.

Now it’s coming the U.S.: BLACKLION Vodka is launching in Kentucky this month.

After Jan. 18, it will be available at the 21c Museum Hotel bar, Georgie’s, Centro and other downtown Lexington bars and to buy in stores soon. And it will be available available soon online at blacklionvodka.com. Suggested retail price is about $50-$60.

Tim Spittle, a co-founder of BLACKLION Vodka, which is made from the whey left over after making cheese from sheep’s milk.
Tim Spittle, a co-founder of BLACKLION Vodka, which is made from the whey left over after making cheese from sheep’s milk.

And that isn’t all: Long term plans call for it to be produced here as well. And they’ve already gotten a start.

Last summer, BLACKLION Vodka founders Tim and Tanya Spittle came to Lexington to visit farmers. There they transplanted embryos from their hybrid Black Lion herd into specially selected sheep on a farm in Paris. The first lambs have been born and more will be coming this spring.

Tim Spittle said that they plan on building brand awareness for their vodka, which will continue to be imported, while growing the local herd and connecting with the 200 or so other sheep cheese makers in the U.S. to see if they are interesting in turning what is essentially a waste product into something that can be sold.

Once they have enough of a market, they will begin working with a contract distillery, in Bourbon County they hope, to produce BLACKLION in Kentucky.

“In the UK we have a very small market for vodka. We’re all gin, Tim Spittle said. “The U.S. is better by far for vodka. The market’s much stronger.”

He said they will be expanding sales to Florida, New York and California this year.

Are they nervous about launching a boutique vodka in Kentucky, the home of bourbon?

On the contrary, he said, they are inspired by the excellent distilling here.

“We’re super excited,” Tim Spittle said. “We’re confident our vodka is a lovely vodka. It’s a beautiful thing”