Idylease Bourbon: Crafted in the New Jersey Highlands

 

Idylease Bourbon: Crafted in the New Jersey Highlands, Inspired by History and Artisan Legacy

A Legacy of Craftsmanship

The spirit of craftmanship lives on in Idylease Bourbon, a tribute to the enduring art of artisan workmanship. Our bourbon’s journey begins not in Kentucky, but in the New Jersey Highlands—a region of rugged hills, dense forests, and crystalline lakes whose landscape mirrors the Scottish Highlands. Here, the cool climate and pure air create ideal conditions for aging whiskey. Each barrel is crafted in the cooper’s tradition—new, charred American oak, just as the law and the legacy of bourbon demand. The charring caramelizes the wood sugars, infusing the bourbon with notes of vanilla, caramel, and toasted oak. As the spirit breathes through the seasons, it draws flavor and character from the wood—becoming deep, rich, and complex. Idylease Bourbon is more than whiskey. It is a testament to generations of craftsmanship—an inheritance of skill, pride, and artistry that transcends trade and time. A Legacy Inherited from my Grandfather Erminio Zampella, arrived in New York Harbor around the turn of the 20th century, a young man from Santomenna, a small town nestled in the Campania region of southwestern Italy. In his homeland, he was a cooper—a master barrel maker. When Erminio reached Ellis Island, he proudly declared his occupation, but the immigration officer, glancing over his papers, shook his head. “No need for barrel makers in America,” he said. Instead, he asked what else the young man could do. Erminio explained that, in his youth, he had sometimes waited tables to earn extra money. The officer nodded, scribbled something down, and said, “Then you’re a restaurateur.” From that moment on, Erminio took those words as destiny. If America saw him as a restaurateur, then a restaurateur he would become. Guided by the same hands that once shaped white oak into casks, he poured his craftsmanship into a new form—food, hospitality, and community. Today, Erminio's story reminds us that craftsmanship is not confined to a single trade—it is a way of life, passed down through generations, reshaping itself as times change but never losing its essence.

A Legacy Inherited from my Grandfather

Erminio Zampella, arrived in New York Harbor around the turn of the 20th century, a young man from Santomenna, a small town nestled in the Campania region of southwestern Italy. In his homeland, he was a cooper—a master barrel maker. When Erminio reached Ellis Island, he proudly declared his occupation, but the immigration officer, glancing over his papers, shook his head. “No need for barrel makers in America,” he said. Instead, he asked what else the young man could do. Erminio explained that, in his youth, he had sometimes waited tables to earn extra money. The officer nodded, scribbled something down, and said, “Then you’re a restaurateur.” From that moment on, Erminio took those words as destiny. If America saw him as a restaurateur, then a restaurateur he would become. Guided by the same hands that once shaped white oak into casks, he poured his craftsmanship into a new form—food, hospitality, and community. Today, Erminio's story reminds us that craftsmanship is not confined to a single trade—it is a way of life, passed down through generations, reshaping itself as times change but never losing its essence.

About Richard Zampella

Continuing his legacy of craftsmanship, Richard serves as the Master Distiller at The Idylease Distillery, where he combines time-honored techniques with modern innovation to produce spirits that embody the character and heritage of the region. 

Proud of his ancestry and lifelong connection to Idylease, Richard Zampella continues to uphold the values of excellence, service, and authenticity that have defined his predecessors at Idylease since 1902.