Forget The Carrots Leave A Cocktail For The Easter Bunny

Thanks to Jeptha Creed for sending me a free bottle of bourbon to try in exchange for an unbiased review.

Easter weekend is upon us and it is going to be a warm one in Southwest Florida. The magical bunny that visits Saturday night needs something refreshing to refuel so take this suggestion into consideration. Forget the carrots leave a cocktail for the Easter Bunny. I have one that hits all the marks. Not only is it a unique bourbon cocktail, but it's also perfect for wrapping up Women's History Month.

The cocktail is made with Jeptha Creed Straight 4 Grain Bourbon Whiskey. There are a number of things that make this spirit different. First, it is made by a mother-daughter duo. Joyce and Autumn Nethery are making history in Kentucky as the only such whiskey making team.

Next, the grains used to make their spirits comes from the family farm that is known for growing Bloody Butcher Corn. It is a non-GMO heirloom corn that gives the bourbon whiskey a unique flavor profile. It's bold with flavors of apricot, cinnamon, and vanilla, with sweet tones throughout.

It's called "The 1700" and pays homage to the Nethery family's arrival in Kentucky and their legacy since. The juices add a bit of sweetness and the egg whites contribute a nice, full texture.

The 1700

*Drink Responsibly

There was a spirits debut this week that was unlike any other seen in Southwest Florida. First, because there is nothing like this product on the shelves in the United States. Second, because the guests of honor, flown in from England, were dressed in fur on an 80+ degree day. They were pure bred Swiss Valais Blacknose Sheep, also known as the "Flock Stars". Sheep milk vodka makes its Florida debut in Naples with BLACKLION Vodka. It was a huge hit and this week's Fabulous Find.

People were going crazy over these sheep when they arrived at Three60 Market. Including me. They were so cool and quite accommodating to all of the humans who "flocked" to them. Check out this quick video I made. See what I mean?

The "Flock Stars" were accompanied by owners Tim and Tanya Spittle, mixologist Pete Simpson, and Andy Clarke who is a food and drink writer and BBC TV personality. He also created a signature BLACKLION cocktail for celebrity chef Gordon Ramsey's Lucky Cat restaurants in Miami and London.

This is a unique breed of sheep from the beautiful Cotswolds of England. Their milk is primarily used to make cheese. When the curds are separated for the cheese, whey is a by-product and there is a lot of it. The Spittles are second generation farmers and they wanted to create a way to keep their farm moving forward for the next generation. They also wanted to be more sustainable and do something with all of that wasted whey. Now, they are distilling it.

It takes dozens of times and many days to run each batch through the distiller to create this premium vodka. BLACKLION has been winning awards around the world and is finally available in Florida.

Samples were provided at the public launch party. I tried it chilled and also in cocktails. It smelled floral and had this nice texture, slightly viscous and round rather than burning. It was actually good on its own and great in a martini. If you like vodka and premium spirits, look for it. The story is a intriguing and so is the product. Check out these photos from the Naples Debut.