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America’s First Distillers
From colonial homesteads to modern cocktail bars, Laird & Company has been at the heart of American history for over 300 years. Ours is a story not just of distilling, but of resilience, reinvention, and a deep-rooted connection to the Land & People of the United States.
Colonial Roots (1600s–1700s)
Before there was a United States, there was a Laird.
In 1678, William Laird, a skilled Scottish distiller, left his homeland amid political upheaval and crossed the Atlantic aboard the Caledonia. He brought with him knowledge of fermentation and distillation that had been shaped in Scotland for generations. By 1698, he had settled in Monmouth County, New Jersey. Surrounded by abundant orchards, Laird adapted his craft to the New World, fermenting and distilling apples instead of grain. What began as practical frontier production would become something far more enduring. Applejack emerged as America’s first native distilled spirit. By the mid-1700s, it was not just widely consumed. It was woven into early American life.
Pre-1760 – A Spirit Worth Sharing
George Washington, impressed by the local Applejack, requested the Laird family’s recipe—an early sign of the spirit’s reputation and reach.
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1778 – A Taste of Home for the Revolution
During the Battle of Monmouth, brothers Robert and Richard Laird, both serving in the Revolutionary War, supplied General Washington's troops with Applejack to boost morale. More than just a drink, it was a symbol of pride and resilience.
1698 – Applejack Takes Root in America is Born
Twenty years after arriving from Scotland, William Laird formally established his distilling operations in Monmouth County. His apple-based spirit reflected both Old World technique and New World resourcefulness.
That foundation would carry forward across generations, making Laird & Company the oldest distillers in the country.
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1776 – American Independence
Brothers Robert and Richard Laird, served in the Revolutionary War.
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Growth & Grit (1800s)
As America expanded, so did Laird & Company. We supplied Applejack to saloons, farms, and city taverns alike, becoming a staple of 19th-century life.
1849 – From the Ashes
A fire destroyed the original Colts Neck Inn distillery. Robert Laird, the fifth generation, rebuilt nearby in Scobeyville, NJ, where the distillery property still stands; family HQ currently operates there.
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1880 – A Century of Spirit
Laird & Company celebrated 100 years since the first official recorded sale, a rare feat in the fast-changing American landscape.
1800s – Fueling the American Frontier
As railroads expanded, so did the reach of Laird’s Applejack. Once a Northeast staple, it's reach expanded with the American Frontier.
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1851 – Production Resumes
Commercial Applejack production resumed in Scobeyville, setting the stage for a new era of growth.
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Surviving Prohibition (1920–1933)
When Prohibition outlawed alcohol, many distillers shuttered. Laird & Company adapted. We pivoted to producing sweet cyder and applesauce to keep the business alive, without ever losing sight of our roots. This era tested our ingenuity and our grit. It would also set the stage for a major comeback.
Early 1930s -
Medicinal Permit
+ Expansion
John Evans Laird and his brother Joseph Tilton Laird III reopened the distillery in 1933 when Laird’s received a permit to distill apple brandy for medicinal purposes.
After that, they were granted the first Fruit Distilling License and could operate in a secured-bonded warehouse.
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Reinvention & Resurgence
A new chapter begins. After prohibition ended, Laird & Company came roaring back. Our distillery in Scobeyville, NJ resumed production and remained a family-led business.
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1940 - A New Bottle Design
Around this time, the company took steps to protect its product and its customers. To stop fake spirits from being sold, Laird & Company created a patented, non-refillable bottle and cap. This smart design helped prevent tampering and made sure people were getting the real Laird’s. It protected the public and sent one clear message: Insist on Laird’s.
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1955 - A Victory Cocktail
Brooklyn Dodgers win the World Series
In 1955, Laird’s Applejack earned a special moment in baseball lore, when it was featured in the Victory Cocktail celebrating the championship win. The team secured the title in a seven-game series against the New York Yankees, marking a memorable finish that tied Laird’s to an iconic sports milestone.
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1972 – Blending Tradition with Innovation
With changing consumer preferences, John Evans Laird Jr. (Jack) Laird successfully petitioned the federal government to approve a new standard of identity: Blended Applejack. This allowed Laird to meet demand for lighter spirits while preserving its core identity.
Blended Applejack, as explained by 10th‑generation distiller Gerard Laird-Dunn.
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1980s - Horse Racing Sponsorships
During the 1980s, Laird supported horse racing events at major tracks, including Belmont Park, Freehold Raceway, and Monmouth Park.
Pictured here is Lisa Laird-Dunn at the Belmont Stakes.
1940s – Wartime Innovation
During World War II, Laird & Company supported the war
effort by producing pectin, a vital preservative used in
military food rations, at a time when materials were
rationed. This additional output played a small but
meaningful role in supplying American troops.
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1955 – Marking Milestones
Laird bottled its millionth case post-prohibition and introduced the iconic eagle logo.
8th-generation distiller, Larrie Laird, then 11-years-old, hitchhikes up to New Jersey from Florida to celebrate the occasion.
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1967 — President Lyndon B. Johnson Gifts Laird’s Applejack
During the 1967 Glassboro Summit in Glassboro, New Jersey, President Lyndon B. Johnson presented Soviet Premier Alexei Kosygin with a case of Laird's Applejack, a small gesture that fit the meeting's warmer tone. It became part of the "Spirit of Glassboro," a moment when a New Jersey-made American original briefly sat at the center of world diplomacy.
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1980 – A Bicentennial Celebration
Laird celebrated its 200th anniversary with an authentic colonial meal and media event at the home of Jack and Mary Lee Laird. John, Lisa, and Larrie Laird were in attendance, joining the festivities and commemorating this milestone in the company’s history.
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Heritage Meets Modern Craft
As the craft cocktail movement reignited interest in classic American spirits, bartenders and spirits enthusiasts rediscovered Applejack. Today, Laird’s Applejack and Apple Brandies are used in bars around the world, from speakeasies to five-star restaurants.
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2001 Rothman Institute
NJ Family Business Award
At the 2001 Rothman Institute, Laird receives the NJ Family Business Award. It was attended by (in order of appearance), Jack Laird, Lisa Laird-Dunn, Larrie Laird, John Evans Laird IV, and John Evans Laird III.
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2001 - The Jack Rose
A 20th Century Classic
The iconic Jack Rose cocktail, made with Laird’s Applejack, was honored as one of the Top 100 Cocktails of the 20th Century, cementing its place in classic cocktail history.
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2018 - World’s Oldest and Rarest Spirits
Laird’s 12 Year Old was listed as one of the “World’s Oldest and Rarest Spirits” by Saveur Magazine.
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2020 - Community Support Hand Sanitizer
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Laird family quickly pivoted operations to produce hand sanitizer using beverage alcohol, addressing critical shortages nationwide. For the local community, weekend drive-through pickups were offered. Thousands of gallons were donated to New Jersey first responders, including police officers, firefighters, EMTs, and postal workers.
2021 – On the National Stage
Lisa Laird-Dunn brought Laird & Company’s legacy to television audiences as a guest judge on Moonshiners: Master Distillers. She evaluated distillers competing to craft the finest Applejack, reaffirming the brand’s deep ties to
American distilling.
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Virginia Distilling
Nearly three centuries after William Laird first began distilling in Monmouth County, the craft continues in North Garden, Virginia. In 1941, Laird & Company purchased distilling facilities in both Virginia and Lyons, New York to increase production as demand for Applejack grew nationwide.
Since 1976, all Laird’s distilling has taken place at the North Garden facility, operating under DSP-NJ-1 and DSP-VA-5. It stands as the oldest operating distillery in Virginia and remains the modern home of America’s first native spirit.
The setting has changed. The standards have not.
1999 - Woman of the Year
Lisa Laird-Dunn was named Woman of the Year by Bartender Magazine. That same year, Laird introduced its 12-Year Old Apple Brandy as a premium expression, marking an important step in the company’s product evolution.
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Raising the Bar
National Recognition in 2001
In 2001, Beverage Industry Magazine named Laird & Company one of the Top 100 Beverage Companies in the United States—a testament to its enduring influence in the American spirits industry.
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2006 - A Global Toast
Laird’s Export Journey Begins
Laird’s modern export era began on October 12, 2006, when London-based mixologist Nick Strangeway helped connect Laird’s Apple Brandy with its first international importer (UK). While Laird’s had traveled internationally for years through bartenders’ suitcases and personal connections, this marked the start of its formal global reach, built on the tight-knit international bartending community and relationships formed at industry events like Tales of the Cocktail.
Since that first official order in 2006, Laird’s reach has grown steadily:
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2008 - Applejack debuts in Germany
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2009 – Applejack lands in Australia via Vanguard
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2012 – Apple brandy enters the Canadian market
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2013 – First shipments to Southeast Asia (Singapore & Hong Kong)
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2016- Laird expands into Italy
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2017 – European expansion to the Netherlands, Denmark, Sweden, and Norway
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2017 – Laird’s Applejack enters the Chinese market
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2018 – Laird's is introduced to the Czech Republic, Thailand and Taiwan
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2022 – Laird expands into France
Today, Laird’s products are enjoyed around the world and it all started with a bartender.
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2018 - Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award
Lisa and Larrie receive Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award.
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2020 - Community Support Apple Aid
When bars and restaurants shut down during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Laird family wanted to support the bartenders who had long championed their brand. They launched
Laird’s Apple Aid, a social media contest offering direct financial relief.
To participate, bartenders created videos making a Laird’s Applejack cocktail - or simply sharing their ideas if they didn’t have a bottle - and posted them on Instagram with #lairdsapplejack and #lairdsappleaid. Videos were filmed in empty bars, home kitchens, and backyard setups across
the country.
Each eligible participant received compensation via Venmo. At the end of the campaign, standout entries across multiple categories received additional prizes.
More than 700 bartenders submitted videos, turning Apple Aid into both a relief effort and a celebration of creativity and community.
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Lisa Laird-Dunn joins Mo Rocca on CBS News Sunday Morning to explore the Laird Family’s now ten-generation legacy and the history of applejack, a brandy that shaped a revolution, influenced a president, and still lifts spirits today.
Today
Today, as Laird & Company celebrates America’s 250th anniversary, honoring our legacy of being independent before independence, we are excited to share that we’re building a new visitor center, where guests will soon be able to experience our history firsthand, right on site.
Legacy in Every Pour
Still family-owned. Still American to the core.
For over 300 years and through ten generations, Laird & Company has distilled more than just Applejack; we’ve distilled American history. We are proud to be the oldest family distillers in the United States, and every bottle we produce carries the story of a family, a nation, and a craft that’s distinctly American.
Through wars, prohibition, economic upheaval, and cultural change, we’ve remained true to our roots, while always looking ahead. Today, our innovation continues with small-batch releases, barrel-aged expressions, and an unwavering commitment to quality.
At the helm is Lisa Laird-Dunn, ninth-generation distiller and the first female president in company history. When she joined the business in the 1980s, Lisa was one of the few women in executive roles in the American spirits industry, and quickly earned recognition as a trailblazer.
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A New Generation
In August 2018, Gerard Laird-Dunn joined the company, followed by Laird Emilie Dunn in November 2022, marking the arrival of the 10th generation of family leadership. Under Lisa’s guidance, the legacy of Laird & Company isn’t just being preserved; it’s being propelled into the future. To celebrate, Laird released a new spirit, Tenth Generation Apple Brandy
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Stay Tuned
Stay tuned. As the United States approaches its 250th anniversary, Laird & Company looks ahead to celebrating our own place in the story of American spirits. With plans for expanded distillery tours, a welcoming visitor center, and special moments tied to the nation’s semiquincentennial, there is a great deal ahead. After generations of family stewardship and centuries of craft, the next chapter for America’s oldest distillery is just beginning.
