A collaboration years in the making has finally come to fruition as Copperworks Distilling Co. announces two distinctive spirits born from a partnership with one of California's pioneering craft distilleries. The Seattle-based operation has transformed a pair of St. George Spirits California Reserve Apple Brandy casks into limited releases that showcase the creative possibilities when Pacific Northwest precision meets California's fruit brandy heritage.
The partnership between these two West Coast distillers didn't happen overnight. According to Copperworks President and Co-Founder Jason Parker, the relationship with St. George Spirits Head Distiller Dave Smith and Master Distiller Lance Winters developed over countless industry gatherings and mutual visits. "It feels like we've known Head Distiller Dave Smith and Master Distiller Lance Winters forever, forging a friendship over innumerable encounters at conventions, expos, and hosting them at our distillery in Seattle," Parker explained. What began as professional respect evolved into an opportunity to explore the untapped potential hiding within two California Reserve Apple Brandy casks.
Image credit: Kevin Donovan/Copperworks Distilling Co.
St. George Spirits brings serious credibility to this collaboration. The Alameda-based distillery launched in 1982 with a singular focus on eau de vie, the crystal-clear fruit brandies that demand absolute precision and quality fruit. While many distilleries have come and gone over the past four decades, St. George has not only survived but expanded its repertoire while maintaining its commitment to exceptional eau de vies and a diverse range of spirits, including their aged brandy program. Perhaps less known but equally impressive is their status as one of America's oldest single malt whiskey producers, having started distilling and aging whiskey in 1997, a full fifteen years after opening their doors.
The first release dropping from this collaboration arrives February 6, 2026, in the form of Copperworks St. George Spirits Apple Brandy Cask Gin. This isn't a simple flavored gin or a quick cask rest. The spirit spent one year and five months maturing in the apple brandy cask, allowing the wood's previous occupant to weave itself into the gin's botanical framework. The extended finishing period created something that defies easy categorization.
On the nose, this limited release gin presents bright lemon and jasmine that transition into sweet cedar and pink lady apple notes. The palate delivers a silky texture carrying apple butter, juniper, candied orange, and sandalwood, before finishing with what the distillery describes as spice cabinet notes with clove taking the lead, followed by lemon heads and fruit leather. It's a complex progression that speaks to both the quality of the base gin and the influence of the apple brandy cask.
With only 326 bottles produced in 700ml format, this gin release represents a genuine limited offering. Bottled at 50% ABV (100 proof), it carries a suggested retail price of $49.99 before tax and shipping. The spirit will be available for purchase through the distillery's website and at both Copperworks tasting room locations in Seattle and Kenmore, Washington.
The second spirit emerging from this cask collaboration takes a different path entirely. Available exclusively to Copperworks Whiskey Club members starting February 23, 2026, the Copperworks St. George Spirits Apple Brandy Cask Finished Whiskey represents a more substantial time investment and a different approach to showcasing the apple brandy cask's influence.
This whiskey's journey began with Pale Malt, which spent six years and five months maturing in two refilled Copperworks casks. Following this initial maturation, the spirit moved into the St. George Apple Brandy cask for an additional one year and seven months of finishing, bringing the total maturation period to eight years. That's a significant age statement for any American craft whiskey, and the careful progression through different cask environments allowed the distillery to layer flavors with precision.
The resulting whiskey offers a nose described as sweet and light, presenting honeysuckle, apple blossom, and buttered cinnamon toast. The palate leads with pound cake and golden apple, expanding to include roasted pineapple, barley tea, and cedar. The finish delivers lingering apple skin and suede notes with a gentle trace of sweet tobacco. The tasting profile suggests a whiskey that balances the malt character with the fruit-forward influence of the finishing cask without letting either element dominate.
This exclusive release produced 380 bottles at 700ml each, also bottled at 50% ABV (100 proof). Priced at $89.99 before tax and shipping, it's positioned as a premium offering available only to those who join the Whiskey Club by Thursday, February 19, 2026.
The Whiskey Club membership structure offers more than just access to this particular bottle. Members receive exclusive quarterly whiskey releases delivered directly to their homes, along with early access to additional special releases throughout the year. New members get a 25% discount on a single order within their first 30 days of membership, free tastings for themselves and a guest at the tasting rooms, and a club-exclusive Glencairn glass included with their first bottle shipment.
What makes these releases particularly noteworthy isn't just the collaboration or the limited quantities. It's the willingness of both distilleries to let their spirits sit in these casks for extended periods. In an era where many craft distilleries rush products to market, Copperworks allowed the gin to rest for nearly a year and a half and the whiskey for over a year and a half in the finishing cask alone. That kind of patience suggests confidence in the underlying spirit and respect for the process.
The use of apple brandy casks also taps into a growing interest in alternative cask finishes beyond the standard sherry, port, and wine barrels that have dominated the finishing conversation for years. Apple brandy brings its own distinct character profile, one that can complement rather than overwhelm spirits finished in its embrace. The fact that St. George Spirits has been producing exceptional brandies for over forty years means these casks carried genuine pedigree into their second life.
For those interested in securing the gin release, it becomes available through the Copperworks website and both tasting room locations starting February 6. The whiskey, however, requires commitment to the Whiskey Club, with the deadline falling on February 19 for those who want to receive this particular quarterly release. Given the limited bottle counts on both expressions, those interested in either spirit would be wise not to delay.
These releases represent more than just two new products hitting the market. They showcase how established craft distilleries are building relationships, sharing resources, and creating spirits that neither could produce alone. The combination of Copperworks' technical skill and St. George Spirits' legacy in fruit brandy production created an opportunity to explore flavor territory that remains relatively uncharted in American craft spirits.
Whether the gin's bright, layered complexity or the whiskey's eight-year journey through multiple cask environments proves more compelling likely depends on individual preference. What's not debatable is that both expressions demonstrate the creative potential still waiting to be unlocked in the American craft spirits landscape when distillers with vision and patience decide to collaborate.
