Laird’s Straight Applejack 86 goes back to the Laird family’s historic roots with a revival of its historic pre-Prohibition apple brandy.
Laird & Company, America’s oldest family-owned licensed distillery has been making apple brandies since 1780. Their recent release of Laird’s Straight Applejack 86 is a revival of the company’s pre-Prohibition 100 percent apple brandy at its post-Prohibition proof of 86 (43% ABV).
According to Lisa Laird Dunn, Executive Vice President and World Ambassador, Laird & Company, this expression bridges the gap in style and price between the flagship Blended Applejack (40% ABV) and Straight Apple Brandy (50% ABV). In arriving at the optimum level of alcohol, various proof levels were considered and taste tested. 86 proof was deemed optimal for balancing the apple flavours with the alcohol content – the same conclusion that was reached immediately after Prohibition ended.
The spirit is produced from a variety of apples grown in the US include Winesap, Fuji, Red and Golden Delicious, McIntosh, Granny Smith and Jonathan. Fresh apples are washed, ground into a pulp and pressed to extract the juice. The cider is fermented in a tank until sugar is converted into alcohol. The fermented cider is then distilled through a combination pot and column stills to 160 proof (80% ABV) and and the resulting distillate is reduced to 130 proof (75% ABV) and pumped into 55 gallon charred oak barrels for aging.
After appropriate aging, the barrels are selected for the batch and the brandy is reduced in proof with demineralised water before it is filtered and adjusted to 86 proof (43% ABV).
With a nod to history, the label of Laird’s Straight Applejack 86 combines retro appeal with contemporary flair. The number 17 on the label denotes the number of pounds of fresh apples it takes to make a single bottle of the spirit.
Laird’s Straight Applejack 86 has a clear honey-brown colour and aromas of cooked, ripe apples and charred bourbon-like oak. The palate is full and complex with overtones of baked apples, caramel, wood and a pleasant level of alcohol with a lingering finish.
Suggested serves include sipping it neat, over ice, in a Jack Rose cocktail and traditional whiskey cocktails such as the Manhattan and Old Fashioned.
In partnership with Vanguard Luxury Brands, distributors of Laird’s Straight Applejack 86 in Australia.
Photo Credit: Supplied
