LENNDEVOURS

High-End Spirits from the Garden State? Yes.

By Robin Meredith, Cocktail Columnist

Even those of us with a relatively enlightened, cliché-free view of New Jersey may be surprised to find out that one of the nation's most intriguing spirits hails from the Garden State. The most densely populated state in the country seems pretty far removed from the dark hollows of Kentucky and Tennessee or all those wacky mavericks distilling brandy and eau-de-vie in the mountains out west.

Laird and Company of Scobeyville, NJ (not far from Red Bank) produces an impressive range of apple-based spirits and has a truly fascinating history. Billing itself as “America's oldest family of brandy distillers,” Laird was founded in 1780 and its Scobeyville facility holds the very first bonded warehouse license issued by the Internal Revenue Service. Laird survived Prohibition by producing non-alcoholic apple products such as cider and applesauce. The Laird family still controls the company — the president and senior market executives are all eighth and ninth generation family members.

Introducing Our First Cocktail Columnist: Robin Meredith

If you're a lover of Long Island wines, the name Robin Meredith might be a familiar one to you.

Robin is the former co-owner of Broadfields Wine Cellars and The Tasting Room, and a reformed wine snob who used to become paralyzed by the mere thought of having to order a cocktail. He and his wife Karen are currently living in New York City and planning their eventual move to Santa Fe, New Mexico, where they will almost certainly not be planting another vineyard.

In the meantime, Robin has become completely obsessed with New York City's thriving cocktail culture. So in addition to his strategic planning work for a Fortune 1000 information solutions company, he will be reporting for LENNDEVOURS on new and exotic ingredients, highlights (and lowlights) of the Manhattan cocktail scene, classic cocktail recipes, tools, techniques and events.

He hasn't completely turned his back on wine: he is currently a student in the WSET diploma and has ambitions to someday establish a wine education and consulting practice in New Mexico.

Please welcome Robin aboard. Beyond bourbon with one ice cube, cocktails are something I know little about.