Dave is flying solo this week while Dan is out sick, and he’s joined by Julia Bringolf from Cash Butte Distillery in Royal City, Washington. Cash Butte operates on the grounds of Royal Bluff Orchards, where apples have been grown since the early 1980s. The distillery was founded to bring back the tradition of true farm distilling—transforming orchard fruit (including fruit that might not make it to store shelves) directly into character-rich spirits.

Julia walks Dave through the origins of Cash Butte, how the Central Washington desert climate shapes their fruit, and why starting with whole apples or grapes creates spirits that are anything but neutral. They taste through a lineup that highlights the orchard-to-glass approach: apple brandy, apple vodka, grape vodka, and a carefully layered gin built around botanicals that complement fruit-based distillates.