Cooper River Distillers: an island of craft emerges in Camden

On it's website, Cooper River Distillers in Camden, NJ, plays up a sliver of land in the middle of the Delaware River, Petty's Island, as the namesake for its flagship rum. Although I have crossed the Delaware many times, I have never noticed an island. Similarly, I'm sure many people seek out Philly's craft spirit and beer scene without realizing there is a perfectly proficient distillery just across the river. Ben, one of the distillers at Cooper River, is a bit apprehensive when I show up one Saturday morning. It's looking like he's going to turn me away. He says he is the only one there and he can't do a tasting. Clearly, wires are getting crossed somewhere. We end up chatting as Ben goes about his tasks. It gets noisy every now and again, but the place is small enough -think a hangar for a commuter jet; or better, the former auto body shop it was- for us to shout. Ben is not too long out of college and has a pretty interesting background. In h