Base Spirit: Milk/Whey

Traditionally, spirits made from fermented milk have been distilled around the world.

Though uncommon today, some distillers are reviving this lost craft to make vodkas— and unsurprisingly, these spirits have found their way into gin as well.

Some distillers use the byproducts of other dairy manufacturing processes. For example, in cheese making, cheese is made from the curds, but the whey is often a waste product. Distillers can use this as a source of ferment to make a base spirit for vodka or gin.