Apologue

Based in Thornton, Illinois, just over the southern border of Chicago, Apologue specializes in the sweet and spirited art of liqueur production. Founded in 2017 by Robert Haynes and Jordan Tepper, Apologue crafts quality liqueurs with extreme transparency—a rarity within the realm of herbal liqueur producers—resulting in deeply complex, tastefully savory, and regionally specific spirits.

As a bartender at some of Chicago’s finest cocktail establishments, Haynes spent years working with raw ingredients, using alcohol to extract the things that are natural and beautiful about them. This experience informed Apologue’s approach to creating unique products that fill holes or gaps in the flavor profiles of established liqueur categories.

By working with high-integrity suppliers and using traditional, natural processes, Apologue crafts inspiring cocktail modifiers for elevated classic and contemporary cocktails. Constructed with a bartender’s approach for seamless, intuitive integration into cocktails, each liqueur Apologue makes strikes a balance between fruit, root, herb, and bark, and is designed to inspire imbibers and bartenders alike, especially those without access to an abundance of fresh seasonal produce.

Originally focused on regional, often overlooked ingredients found in the Midwest—botanicals people may have heard of but may not have easy access to—Apologue now works with farms around the world to responsibly source rare or unique ingredients.

Named for the moral fable or allegory, Apologue thoughtfully approaches all aspects of production guided by the simple desire to be good to the communities with which they collaborate. With a mind towards sustainability and community-based organizations, Apologue sources whenever possible from local growers, is Non-GMO Project verified, and has met the rigorous standards necessary to become a Certified B Corporation.