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How can sheep milk be used in vodka? One man in Kentucky is figuring it out

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Posted at 9:31 AM, Jul 19, 2023
and last updated 2023-07-19 09:31:59-04

BOURBON COUNTY, Ky. (LEX 18) — If you like a good cocktail with vodka, what if we told you some vodka is crafted from sheep's milk?

"Kentucky being the home of creating good spirits, we thought it had to be here, and having that connectivity seemed right," said Tim Spittle with Blacklion Vodka.

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Spittle is from the United Kingdom, but hoping to grow this vision not just in the United States, but in Bourbon County, Kentucky.

"It has a floral note as you breathe in the spirit, roll it across the tongue it's got warmth without fire, it has heat in the back of the palate," he said.

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Spittle wanted to take what's wasted in the cheese-making process into a resource. The resource is the sheep milk vodka.

"Wouldn't it be interesting if you could look at that milk and especially that whey, which is sugar-rich whey, and whether you could do anything with it to ferment and distill and make a premium spirit," Spittle said.

It has hints of floral. It is actually meant for sipping with ice, or to mix with a cocktail like an espresso martini.

"We hope to be launching the product, we're going to start by importing the product from the United Kingdom later this summer, early autumn," Spittle said.

Spittle adds he hopes there can be a learning component down the road, where people can learn about good farming, sustainability, and the environment.