Yet Another Distillery in Utah

Just weeks after the grand opening of the High West Distillery in Park City, comes word that another distillery is in the planning up in the mountain resort community.

Lespri Spirits would be the third entry into Utah's fledgling distilling community, behind the above mentioned High West and the newer Ogden's Own Distillery, makers of Underground; a Jägermeister-esque herbal liquor.

The founder of Club Lespri wants to start distilling vodka at their location in Prospector square, saying that it resembles in some ways the microbrewery market of years ago and that it could expand Park City's reputation as an imbibing place in a state that many outsiders perceive as being filled with teetotalers.

Scott Rogers, Club Lespri founder, said he wants the product to be "super premium botanical vodkas." According to his description, Lespri Spirits will purchase a neutral-grain spirit and then distill the spirit into vodka at the Sidewinder Drive restaurant-spa-health club.

Club Lespri has hired consultants to assist with the distillery, Rogers said, Club Lespri expects to test up to 12 recipes of vodka before deciding on five or six to produce and that the alcohols will be "vapor-infused vodka," but he does not consider them to be flavored vodkas.

Club Lespri is seeking state and federal permits to operate the distillery as it seeks an approval from City Hall. Rogers said he hopes the permits are granted by the end of 2009. Rogers wants to start making the vodka this winter and begin selling
the product by the end of the ski season.

Cheers!

Sourse: Jay Hamburger Park Record