Laird & Company

In 1698, Alexander Laird emigrated from County Fife, Scotland to America where he eventually settled in Monmouth County, New Jersey. Believed to be a distiller in his homeland, William applied his skills to apples which were the most abundant natural resource in the area. This led to the production of Applejack for his own use, as well as his friends and neighbors.

Prior to 1760, George Washington wrote to the Laird family requesting their Applejack recipe. Entries appear in Washington’s diary in the 1760’s referring to the production of “cyder spirits”. As a Revolutionary soldier serving under George Washington, Robert Laird and his family provided the troops with Applejack.

In 1780, Robert Laird recorded the first commercial transaction at the distillery in the tiny community of Scobeyville, NJ.