When I learned about StilL 630, I was really interested in it because I grew up just a few blocks from there. I first tried to go visit in September of 2022 but couldn’t park in the lot because there was a Cardinals game going on. Then in January of 2023 I picked up a bottle of Volstead’s Folly. For Christmas, my mom got me two more bottles from the distillery, one gin and one whiskey.
Finally in April of 2024, I got to go to StilL 630 for a cocktail class with Kelly, Danny, and Amy. It was a great class, they had us make three open ended cocktails where we could choose from a variety of spirits. I also bought three more bottles. One for me, one for Kelly, and one for Michael.
One thing I like greatly about StilL 630 is that their production is still small enough that they label each bottle with a batch and bottle number. That feels special to me, like a limited edition painting. But most impressive about their operation is their insane distilled botanical library, it’s part of what helps them make such perfect gin.
Below is my collection from StilL 630.
gin no. 078 – Volstead’s Folly
gin no. 091 – Confluence Gin
gin no. 097 – Gateway Barreled Gin
gin no. 108 – Mind Your Manners Gin
Missouri Straight Bourbon Whiskey
Knowledge of Good Apple Brandy
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gin no. 091 – Confluence American Gin
- Confluence Gin is the flagship gin of St. Louis’ StilL 630 Distillery
- It was produced with the support of Natasha Bahrami of the Gin Room
- I got my bottle as a Christmas gift from my mom in December of 2023
My mom came to Boston for my son’s birthday in December of 2023. She always asks me what I want for Christmas, and I usually have no idea. But since she was coming just before Christmas, I asked for a bottle of Confluence Gin. She also surprised me with a bottle of Missouri Straight Bourbon.
In May 2024, I visited the Gin Room for the first time. There I learned that Natasha Bahrami, “The Gin Girl” helped StilL 630 make their gin. Not surprisingly, she did a really great job. This is a bright and lively gin with a lovely balance of herbal and citrus notes. It 81 proof, which makes it perfect for a fantastic gin and tonic.
Here are the distillery’s notes on Confluence Gin:
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 distillery is the ‘Horseradish Capital of the World,’ so using our peerless Botanical Library, we set out to build an herbal and savory gin to showcase this unique local botanical. Building off a base of juniper and coriander, we added horseradish, then pink peppercorns and galangal root to bolster the citrus and savory body while adding a touch of peppery spice. The result is a truly amazing gin that is perfect on the rocks with a twist of lemon or in all your favorite gin cocktails! Tasting Notes: Cool, refreshing juniper mingles with light horseradish and warm pink peppercorns on the nose. The coriander and galangal root provide juiciness to beautifully balance the warm heat and tang of the peppercorns and horseradish on the palate with a touch of peppery spice.
You can pick up a bottle of Confluence American Gin for $29. They are made in small batches and list batch and bottle number on each. My bottle is Batch 3, Bottle 303. This is a great versatile, everyday gin and would probably be our house gin if we were headquartered in Saint Louis.
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gin no. 097 – Gateway Barreled Gin
- Gateway Barreled Gin is a limited edition offering from StilL 630
- Bottle 245 of Batch 2 was added to the collection on April 18, 2024
- A very good sipping gin, but surprisingly also goes wonderfully with tonic
Gateway Barreled Gin wasn’t one of the options at the StilL 630 cocktail class on April 18, 2024, but they kindly let me try it. It was a limited release and they were down to their last few bottles, so I absolutely had to have one. The bottle runs $35 but I got a discount because I attended the cocktail class.
My bottle is Batch 2 Bottle 245, and it is strikingly dark in color for a barrel aged gin. It looks more like a brandy or a bourbon. It has flavors in common with a soft whiskey. The nose is slightly sweet with notes of vanilla. It’s a pleasure to sip on, but what shocked us was when we added tonic. Given the flavor profile, we thought there was no way this gin would make a drinkable gin and tonic. The cardamom which is present neat is accented in the gin in tonic. And that was wonderful. Neat or mixed, this is a lovely gin which combines earthy spice with nutty sweetness.
Here are the distillery’s notes on Gateway Barreled:
Using our botanical library, we intentionally crafted a totally different gin. Embracing the barrel’s toasted oak and vanilla, we added notes of sweetness with black mission figs, black walnut creaminess, and black cardamom spice. All layered over the juniper & coriander with a touch of smoked black peppercorns to create the best barrel-aged gin ever. Tasting Notes: Soft wood, creamsickle, punchy cardamom and lingering peppercorn.
Whether you choose to drink it neat, or add it to a cocktail, the Gateway Barreled Gin is exceptional. It is on the stronger side, 100 proof but the aging and the precision with which StilL 630 blends botanicals mellows the high alcohol content. It might be a challenge to track down a bottle now, but be on the look out for Batch 3.
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gin no. 108 – Mind Your Manners Gin
- Mind Your Manners Gin is the fourth Still 630 gin added to the collection.
- It is made in partnership with Idol Wolf, a Spanish-inspired restaurant in the 21C Hotel in Downtown St. Louis.
- The flavor profile is heavy on the rosemary.
- I got my bottle as a gift from my mom, but she didn’t like it.
As you can tell, I love Still 630, but Mind Your Manners might be my favorite gin they have made so far. It was produced for Idol Wolf, a Spanish-inspired restaurant in the 21C Hotel in Downtown St. Louis. The 21C Hotel is as much an art museum as it is a place to stay, and Idol Wolf already had a great gin list before adding their signature bottle.
Mind Your Manners is a rosemary forward gin, it reminds us of Short Path Winter, another of our favorites. Other botanicals include, Juniper, Coriander, dried Orange Peel, Fennel, Orris Root, Dates, and Cinnamon. This is a powerful and delicious gin. It stands up well to tonic, but it is also enjoyable neat. It’s only 81 proof which makes it easy to sip on.
The bottle art is special here. I’ll share the distillery’s notes on it:
The gin boasts perhaps our most beautiful label. Mind Your Manners gin proudly reflects the namesake gorgeous painting that watches over the Idol Wolf bar. The actual painting, “Mind Your Manners II” was created by world-renowned Cuban-American artist Carlos Gamez de Francisco. It is a richly colorful painting drawn from his childhood memories of life at his grandmother’s house in Cuba. We were graciously allowed to adapt the painting to create a beautiful label that looks wonderful on your bar and pays tribute to this talented artist. You can learn more about the artist and his works at www.carlosgamezdefrancisco.com.
While the gin was made for Idol Wolf, they do sell bottles at the distillery for $44. My mother brought me one when she visited for Easter 2025. I opened it for us on April 19, 2025. I loved it. She did not. I gave it to Michael a couple days later, and he loved it like I did. This is a gin made for people who want something out of the ordinary. It’s not shy in any way and I don’t expect it will be around long. Get a bottle while you can.
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