English spirits and vermouth line launched at Imbibe

05 July, 2013

Blackdown Artisan Spirits debuted its vodka, gin and vermouth range at Imbibe Live this week, having launched the company just a few days earlier.

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. 





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