The wheat spirit for the company’s Sussex Dry Gin and Sussex Vodka (both £27.99 for 70cl and 37.5% ABV) is produced in Cambridge and finished at the company’s Lurgashall Winery, but Blackdown co-founder Sarah Thompson said there are plans to build Sussex’s "first distillery" within a year.
Blackdown vodka has been charcoal filtered seven times while Blackdown gin has been flavoured with 11 botanicals, including juniper, cinnamon bark, angelica root, liquorice and Sussex silver birch sap – an ingredient also added to the vodka to add “a delicate sweetness”.
The third product launched at the UK on-trade show was Sussex Bianco Vermouth (£24.99 for 70cl, 14.7% ABV) a fortified silver birch wine blended with herbs and spices including wormwood. It is described as England’s “first Bianco vermouth’.
The company also offers numerous English wines - including Elderflowerport - produced from its winery but Thompson said the Blackdown spirits line will be extended by a whisky and brandy which are also in the pipeline.
The company said its focus is currently London and Brighton but is looking for a UK distributor.
