American Apple Brandy
ReferenceNew York, Virginia, New Jersey, California
Famous For
1941 (Suffering Bastard)
Gin and brandy walk into a war zone. Ginger beer brings them home.
A. J.
Two ingredients. Applejack meets grapefruit and nothing else is needed.
After Dinner Cocktail
In an era when cocktails had functional names, this one told you exactly when to drink it — and a hundred years later, the advice still holds.
Tasting Notes
Baked apple, caramel, vanilla, oak, cinnamon, dried apple, apple skin tannin, nutmeg, brown butter, orchard blossom. Straight versions develop more oak and caramel with age. Bonded expressions are fuller-bodied. The apple should persist through barrel influence.
Brand Guide
Laird's Applejack (blended, $18-22)
Laird's Straight 86 ($28-35)
Laird's Bottled-in-Bond ($38-48)
Laird's Rare 12yr, Clear Creek ($60+). The Bottled-in-Bond is the sweet spot