Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/31323
LAUNCH PAD Pro-Fusion by Michael Roney / photos by Doug Young It’s a brilliantly sunny day on the Jersey Shore. Laurie Walsh and Dave Perillo admire the blue waters of Barnegat Bay from a window table at Martell’s Waters Edge, a celebrated tiki bar, restaurant and banquet site where up to 60 pleasure boats tie up on a typical summer afternoon. The two beam proudly as an acquaintance sips on an ice-filled tumbler of Mill Six, a new liqueur boasting bright and complex citrus flavors that belie its crystal clear complexion. Launched last July after three years in development, Mill Six’s story is nearly as interesting as its sunny bouquet. It starts back in 2007 when Frank Massie, descended from three generations of spirits pros, launched a quest to create a truly unique product. To assist he tapped Perillo, a close friend and market expert who had worked in the industry for 20 years, and Enlightened Brands was born. “In beverages you see this proliferation of new flavors, new styles and constant line extensions,” says Perillo, now the company’s CEO and President. “Obviously, citrus is the most popular, and that seemed like the right family to be in, but we didn’t want to be lemon-lime or just another vodka. So we asked ourselves, ‘Why not create our own category, and why not create one product that will bring a different flavor experience each time it’s consumed?’” Laurie Walsh, VP Marketing & Sales, and Dave Perillo, CEO and President of Enlightened Brands. THE TASTING PANEL VENTURES TO THE JERSEY SHORE TO MEET THE PEOPLE BEHIND THE EXOTIC NEW CITRUS LIQUEUR MILL SIX 90 / the tasting panel / may 201 1