City Gate Spirits
About the Distillery
City Gate Spirits sits just steps from the historic City Gate in St. Augustine and functions as a small, urban distillery with a flavorful and consumer-friendly profile. The range spans from playful, flavored whiskeys and moonshines to a limited rye release, and the tasting room is open seven days a week, so visitors can taste and purchase on-site.
History
The distillery has established itself in the heart of historic St. Augustine, where its location near the city gate makes it a natural meeting place for locals and tourists. City Gate Spirits blends classic spirits such as whiskey and rum with a range of flavored moonshines and special releases. In November 2019, the distillery’s Lead Distiller and Production Manager, Ric, was highlighted in a blog post for his work refining recipes and overseeing hand bottling. This blend of traditional techniques and playful product expressions shapes the distillery's profile.
Raw Materials and Production
The production uses American rye and Canadian rye.
Key production features include blending American and Canadian rye in 1565 Rye Whiskey, hand bottling, production of flavored spirits (infusion/flavor characterization), a small, urban-distillery near the historic city gate, a tasting room with direct sales without reservations, and products designed to be accessible and playful in their expression.
Maturation and Barrel Types
There is little public information about specific barrel usage or aging strategy. 1565 Rye mentions a hint of oak, but the pages do not provide details on barrel types, previous contents, or aging time. The distillery's texts focus more on blending and flavor profile than on detailed barrel descriptions.
Whiskies
The range includes a number of flavored whiskeys — including Roasted Pecan, Smoked Maple, Salted Caramel, Peanut Butter, Peach, Mango Datil, and Cinnamon — as well as a limited, more traditional 1565 Rye Whiskey. The products are presented as accessible and often playful, with some releases described as seasonal or limited. In addition to whiskey, rum, flavored moonshine, and special releases are offered.
| Whiskey | Type / Series | Alcohol | Flavor Profile | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1565 Rye Whiskey | Rye Whiskey | 50% | First batch limited release blending American rye for spice and structure with Canadian rye for a softer character. Highlights notes of ginger snap, sea salt caramel and a hint of oak. Batch #1 is sold only while stock lasts.; Nose: Ginger snap, sea salt caramel; Palate: Layered and expressive with spice and sweetness; Finish: A hint of oak | Limited; Limited, special edition |
| Roasted Pecan Whiskey | Flavoured Whiskey | One of the distillery's flavored whiskey variants with roasted pecan flavor. | ||
| Smoked Maple Whiskey | Flavoured Whiskey | Flavored whiskey in the line, the name indicating a smoky or roasted element (Smoked Maple). | ||
| Salted Caramel Whiskey | Flavoured Whiskey | Salted Caramel variant as part of the whiskey line. | ||
| Peanut Butter Whiskey | Flavoured Whiskey | Peanut Butter variant in the distillery's lineup of flavored whiskeys. | ||
| Peach Whiskey | Flavoured Whiskey | Peach variant in the whiskey series. | ||
| Mango Datil Whiskey | Flavoured Whiskey | Fruity and chili-inspired variant (Mango Datil) in the flavored range. | ||
| Cinnamon Whiskey | Flavoured Whiskey | Described as a Limited Seasonal Release in the whiskey category (Cinnamon Whiskey). | Limited; Seasonal / Limited |
The Whiskies' Style and Flavor Profiles
Bottle labels and product copy paint a picture of three prevailing directions: sweetness and caramel (salted caramel, sea salt caramel), nutty/buttery notes (roasted pecan, peanut butter) and fruitiness (peach, mango). There are also spicy elements such as ginger and cinnamon, and hints of smoke or roasting in Smoked Maple. Taken together, this portfolio covers sweet, fruity, and spicy notes.
Visiting the Distillery
The tasting room is open every day of the week from 11:00 to 19:00, and no reservation is required to enter and taste the products. Visitors can sample several varieties and purchase bottles to take home. For changes to opening hours during holidays, please contact the phone number provided. Address, telephone, and e-mail are available for planning purposes.
The listed opening hours are Monday–Sunday: 11:00–19:00 (Holiday hours may differ).
Philosophy and Craft
City Gate Spirits prioritizes accessibility, bold flavor experiences, and visually playful bottles. The products are designed to be easy to drink and share, suitable for vacation and weekend use or as a memento of a visit to St. Augustine.
Latest News
Meet the Distiller of St. Augustine’s Flavored Spirits – 2019-11-08
Blog post presenting the Lead Distiller and Production Manager, Ric, and describing his work refining recipes and hand-filling bottles as part of the production.