There is an old tale about a creature that dwells in the Pine Barrens of southern New Jersey. The Jersey Devil is three and a half feet tall, with hoofed hind legs, claws on its front legs, a horse-like head, and bat wings. Rumored to be born of a witch and Satan himself, the Jersey Devil has been blamed for odd sightings, missing people, and stolen livestock since colonial days. Around the same time the legend was born, the Laird family began distilling apple cider. Perfecting the family recipe for applejack, the Laird & Company Distillery became the first commercial distillery in America and is still in business today. They even weathered Prohibition, selling sweet cider and applesauce until they received a special license to produce “medicinal brandy.” Their two main products are Laird’s Apple Brandy and Laird’s AppleJack. The brandy is a 100-proof spirit distilled solely from apples; the AppleJack is a blended spirit of 35 percent apple brandy and 65 percent whiskey. Our Jersey Devil cocktail artistically uses the 100-percent apple brandy and blends it with a unique ingredient—the English Bishop, which calls for roasting a clove-studded orange in a fire and infusing it with port wine. This drink was one of the first to fall into our “fancy cocktail” category because of the detail in the ingredients. It’s also a killer drink and can be successfully used to bait and tranquilize a Jersey Devil.

　　

Ingredients

makes 1 drink

　　1 3/4 ounces English Bishop (page 160)

　　1 1/2 ounces Laird’s straight apple brandy

　　1/2 ounce Berentzen Apfelkorn apple liqueur

　　3 dashes Peychaud’s bitters

　　1 orange half-wheel, for garnish

　　

Step 1

Pour the English Bishop, brandy, apple liqueur, and bitters into a mixing glass. Add large cold ice cubes and stir for 40 revolutions. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with the orange wheel.

　　

tasting notes

Step 2

Dominant Flavors: mulled wine and brandy

　　

Step 3

Body: silky, smooth texture

　　

Step 4

Dryness: off-dry

　　

Step 5

Complexity: very layered

　　

Step 6

Accentuating or Contrasting Flavors: cloves and apples

　　

Step 7

Finish: lingering, spicy

　　

Step 8

Glass: cocktail

　　Reprinted with permission from Speakeasy: The Employees Only Guide to Classic Cocktails Reimagined by Jason Kosmas and Dushan Zaric, © 2010 Ten Speed Press. Buy the full book from Amazon or Bookshop.