Happy 250th Birthday, America!
American Patriotism has been in short supply until recently–and now, with the upcoming celebration of America’s 250th birthday, the nation has reason to come together and celebrate. This year, David Weglarz has an entire battery of fine expressions at the ready for the very purpose of celebrating America in 2026. StilL 630 is releasing a unique signature version of their Missouri Straight Bourbon. Only twelve standard barrels of this expression were put up to age, now over five years old. A limited edition release from one of each of the barrels will occur monthly, each under a different label that calls attention to “twelve seminal moments” in America’s history. Each bottle is shipped with a specially minted silver dollar-sized commemorative challenge coin produced by MJ Engraving; the individual designs of each appearing on the various labels. This began with the 1776 release in January. I was provided with a sample of the 1804 which released in February.
Indomitable Spirit of America USA 250th Birthday Bourbon is not like anything else I have seen in the market. This is a bottled-in-bond, single barrel, Missouri straight bourbon whiskey, and if my eyes aren’t fooling me, I see that David Weglarz has personally hand initialed the label on the back. Its mashbill is 55% Missouri yellow corn, 10% Missouri red corn, 15% malted barley, 10% rye, and 10% wheat. It is double distilled and aged 5 years in virgin Missouri oak barrels. On the nose I pick up corn and caramel; the malt is there, too and vanilla along with some baking spice. There is a sweet, oaky note present as well. On the palate, its pleasant oaky caramel, with sweet spice and some dark fruit notes along with some rye spiciness. The finish is medium long, clean with hints of cinnamon. This is a full-bodied bourbon and a good balance between “heavy” and “light” which it is neither. 100 proof, 750ml, $76
Missouri Straight Bourbon Whiskey Small Batch is as close to “Standard fare” as it gets with StilL 630. It has a mash bill consisting of 70% Missouri corn, 20% rye, and 10% malted barley and aged in virgin Missouri oak barrels for at least five years. It is truly a small batch, being blended from only two to three barrels at a time. My tasting experience confirms theirs: “Nose: sweet creamed corn, caramel, vanilla, soft cherry fudge, light spice. Palate: candy corn, rich chocolate covered cherry, baking dough, sweet peppery finish.” I would only add that I also sniffed out a bit of malt with this one, which I tend to enjoy. With seven awards to its credit, and a full flavor profile, it’s definitely an appealing expression. 90 proof, 750ml, $52
S.S. Sorghum Bottled-in-Bond Straight Whiskey can boast that it is the first ever bottled-in-bond expression from Missouri. It is aged at least eight years. This whiskey has a mash bill of 100% sorghum which is sourced from Missouri. It is double distilled before aging in virgin Missouri oak barrels. The sorghum mash bill brings something quite different to the palate; sweetness more in the vein of rum, dark fruits, light spice. There is a ten year old single barrel version available as well. 100 proof, 750ml, $60
Rye not?
I absolutely love a great rye. StilL 630 has three distinct rye offerings, each a distinct masterpiece. Mash bill for each of these is 90% rye and 10% malted barley.
RallyPoint Straight Rye Whiskey is their standard rye offering. I hesitate to use that term, “standard” because David is not a “standard” guy. He puts nothing in any of his bottles unless it is exceptional. StilL 630’s ryes are a fine example of what exceptional tastes like. This is a full-bodied expression that fits the expectation of what a classic rye whiskey should be. There are no odd “surprises” with this rye, and the only surprise is why it hasn’t already sold out! Ryes can often be too “grassy,” but RallyPoint is certainly not. There is caramel there with the rye earthiness and spice we come to expect with rye, but cinnamon and some baking spice is present as well. The oak plays well with that earthy note and the smooth finish is mild and medium long. 90 proof, 750ml, $46
RallyPoint Maple Sunset Rare Release Whiskey is a pleasant departure from the pack. If you like to try really “hard to get” stuff, RallyPoint Maple Sunset is described as an “extremely rare and limited-edition spirit.” I’m not going to doubt David on that statement. But even rarer than the bottle itself is the unique flavor profile that he has crafted here. This is StilL 630’s double distilled RallyPoint Rye whiskey that is carefully and specifically selected to be finished in their own ex-bourbon barrels that have been used to age maple syrup. No maple syrup is added to RallyPoint Maple Sunset, the maple notes in the finished spirit are from the barrel. My sampling confirms their notes: “…caramel, earthy rye spice, and dark fruit. …there are delicate traces of nutty bourbon and a distinctively…smooth finish of maple syrup. This is a rye whiskey WITH bourbon and maple syrup notes, NOT a maple-flavored whiskey!” A fantastic creation that I can recommend. I am particularly pleased that it is neither lower nor higher than 45 ABV. 90 proof, 750ml, $52
Double Barrel RallyPoint Rare Release Whiskey is kind of in a class by itself in terms of straight rye. At 125.2 proof it’s certainly a selection for the more experienced palate. The second barreling takes place in three 15-gallon barrels for at least eleven months after the spirit has already aged 65 months. It is ultimately a seven year old, and released at cask strength. Even so, I would expect this expression to make a memorable Sazarac or Old Fashioned. If you like oakiness and rye spice, this is definitely for you. There are sweet notes present which tend to balance the oak well. 125.2 proof, 750ml, $90
American Single Malt brings the smoke!
Big Smoke Straight Whiskey boasts a mash bill of 100% malted barley, which is smoked with a combination of cherry wood, apple wood, and mesquite. If you are into “peated” scotch, or smoked American Single Malts, this is your moment of Zen.
The unique aging process utilizes three separate batches aged over five years before blending. There is a lot of good smoke on the nose, with sweet cherry prevalent. The applewood and oak kick in on the tongue with some spice and sweet notes in the background. There is a fearless quality with this expression, like it wants to be in control–and it does. It doesn’t have a “finish” as much as it lets you go when it is finished with you. This is a full-bodied, take-charge expression that has much to offer, and probably underpriced for the quality. 110 proof, 750ml, $60
Big flavor from Big Jake
Years ago I was offered a cup of black coffee by a much older friend of mine before I was a coffee drinker. “No, thank you. I don’t drink coffee.” He looked at me with confusion, “What are you, a Communist?” It was not long and I was drinking black coffee. Today, there are several distilleries that offer expressions which employ roasted coffee notes into their creations. Some of these are simply “flavored whiskey” where coffee or coffee concentrate is added to what might otherwise be a less than spectacular whiskey, or a sourced whiskey. Coffee is a strong flavor profile in its own right and could be used to mask a “bad” barrel or two. This is not the case with StilL 630’s Big Jake, so we may dispense with any of these concerns from the start.
Big Jake Breakfast Brew is not a “coffee flavored” whiskey. There’s a process:
“Using one of our newly-emptied RallyPoint Rye Whiskey barrels, the green coffee beans were barrel-aged for weeks to absorb those delicious whiskey aromas. Then they were roasted to perfection by the masters at Kaldi’s Coffee, before being transformed into a toddy concentrate. We then infused just the right amount of toddy concentrate into our Big Jake to showcase the complementary flavors of the two products in a harmony of taste. Finally, we added a pinch of panela (an unrefined cane sugar native to Columbia) for just a touch of sweetness.”
Big Jake does not drink like a coffee liqueur, even though it has some sweetness to it. There are definitely rye notes present, but rather those of a younger rye. Coffee notes are dominant here and the hint of sweetness is a pleasant touch, even if I still take my coffee black. 81 proof, 750ml, $30
A tale of two gins
No home bar is complete without a high quality gin or two. StilL 630 produces mainly four. The first three of these I have experience with. They are Confluence American Gin, another named Volsteads’s Folly and a Navy Strength which we’ll discuss later. The fourth expression is Mind Your Manners Gin, a specialty craft gin.
Confluence American Gin is a unique gin creation they refer to as “…our liquid love letter to the St. Louis region.” They say this because, “Confluence American Gin was built to portray a sense of place and communicate it through this gin to celebrate the confluences in our own lives. Near the diStilLlery is the ‘Horseradish Capital of the World,’ so using our peerless Botanical Spirits Library, we set out to build an herbal and savory gin to showcase this unique local botanical.” In this effort, they hit the mark. I found it to be well balanced, with peppercorn and horseradish while StilL remaining centered with the traditional juniper notes. Overall a finely crafted American gin perfect for cocktails or a spicy gin & tonic. It was named “Best craft gin in the country” (2023) by the American Distilling Institute, and I can taste why it was. It has won five additional awards going back to 2022. 81 proof, 750ml $29
Volsteads’s Folly Gin is a poke in the eye of Andrew J. Volstead (1859-1947), the man known as “The Father of Prohibition” who authored the Volstead Act, which was the enforcement legislation supporting the 18th Amendment–which we know as Prohibition. Volstead was a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives from Minnesota, 1903–1923. The foolishness of the 18th Amendment only became evident too late. At the time Prohibition was enacted by the Volstead Act, the U.S. Government was reliant upon alcohol taxes with that tax revenue comprising 14% of the federal budget.
Regardless of one’s sentiment about alcohol consumption, this was fiscal suicide at a time during the Great Depression. The entire episode of Prohibition was emotionally driven, not legislation rooted in common sense or fiscal responsibility. The legislation was eventually repealed…Volstead’s folly. But I digress.
Volstead’s Folly Gin is StilL 630’s first gin product, another exquisite and much awarded American Gin expression. It is certainly, “Juniper forward, with sweet elderberry and bold pine and sage flavor, rounded out with citrus and warm spice notes. Exquisitely balanced…” That is exactly what this gin is. It’s a sophisticated and smooth-drinking gin that drinks above its price point. It excels with any way you choose to serve it and one of the few gins that I would even drink neat or just over ice on occasion. All of the classic gin notes are present and executed so well that you might think this is the definitive American Style gin. The botanicals–notes of juniper and pine notes are amazing and quite refreshing. Notes of lemongrass, peppercorn, ginger, sage, and fennel all round out this fine gin. 81 proof, 750ml, $29.
Volstead’s image on the label has been defaced in the same manner as a moonshiner had once done during Prohibition–and why not? I certainly have no love for this guy.
Brandy, she’s a fine girl…
StilL 630 produces two signature apple brandies each with the same base but finished in a dramatically different way which yields two distinctive expressions. Both brandies begin with locally sourced apple juice fermented into cider, then double pot distilled and aged five years. But that is where the similarities end.
Their “Knowledge of Good” brandy is laid down in a new, Missouri oak barrels. This brandy is a softer, caramel-apple affair. It is a full-bodied spirit that is saturated with rich fruit and vanilla notes. It is a real treat for any brandy lover. 81 proof, 750ml, $38
The “Knowledge of Evil” brandy is aged in their own ex-rye barrels, and in appearance is much darker. While this brandy hits the apple notes as with its twin expression, here is more complexity due to the influence of the ex-rye barrels. There is a spiciness that lingers across the undertow of this one which is not only unexpected for a brandy, but complementary to the main notes of apple. It is bumped up to 50 ABV as well to complete the “bad boy” image of its role in the lineup. 100 proof, 750ml, $38
Going the Extra (Nautical) Mile
Rounding out StilL 630’s exquisite collection of spirits are two expressions not to be overlooked. This is their American Navy Strength Gin and Expedition Rum.
Expedition Rum is a golden rum produced in America in the Jamaican pot StilL style. This rum harkens back to the nostalgia of rugged exploration. Oddly, rum is such a loosely regulated style of spirit it lends itself to a very wide variety of many different processes, ingredients, and aging–all called “rum.” There is almost no global standardization for defining rum. David mentioned his solera system for this rum and I suspect that has much to do with the high quality and balanced profile of this product. A solera system is really the only way to produce proper aged rum because it is a system that both ages and blends rum simultaneously. Expect notes of molasses, and fruit with this full-bodied expression. The oak and vanilla round this experience out nicely. The folks at StilL 630 have done an admirable job of a “best representation” within the general class of rums. It has won no less than nine awards over the past decade or so. It is an easy-drinking, high quality rum with a unique depth and character. 81 proof, 750ml, $38
The American Navy Strength Gin begins with the traditional juniper and coriander at StilL 630. “… we intentionally wanted to craft something very different than Volstead’s Folly, but that was unique, bold, and delicious in its own right. We created a gin that showcases some of our favorite botanical flavors: lemon-pepper citrus with a beautiful floral note.” Fred Minnick likes it. This gin won Platinum at the 2022 Ascot Awards. That said, most “Navy Strength” gins are StilL under 120 proof, which makes this expression a standout. I don’t often see many high proof gins on the shelves these days. My sample confirmed their notes: “…Lemon-pepper citrus with light floral nose.” With a palate of “…earthy tropical citrus with lighter chamomile notes…smooth finish with the high proof being countered by the warm black pepper. It’s always a good idea to have a bottle of a solid Navy Strength gin around the bar. Some cocktails even call specifically for it, and remember that the cocktails you build are only as good as the ingredients you put into them. 120 proof, 750ml, $30
“Indomitable Spirits!” StilL 630 has so much to offer. Even with all of this discussed here, I have not even mentioned their intriguing Rare Release whiskey line, their Experimental Spirits line, or their private barrel program. And if you happen to be in their area at the end of June, stop in for their annual distillery anniversary party on June 27th!
Learn more at: http://www.StilL630.com/
