How cool that the 2nd January, this year, falls on a Friday? If you have been following this blog for a while, you may remember that Friday is cocktail day at StilL 630. Something that occurs weekly is particularly special when, on the same day, they release the first of twelve single casks to celebrate the most-famous country in the world (arguably) turning a quarter of a millennium.
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| These, which we saw last year, will be released throughout 2026 one a month |
JS, PC and I are in line for the occasion. There will be a toast at 6:30 PM, by the way.
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| Mash bill for the first release (note it is apparently a Bouron) |
StilL 630 1776 Missouri Straight Bourbon 5yo 2019/2025 Declaration of Independence (50%, OB for America's 250th Birthday, Barrel, C#12)
Nose: it has a strong wood aroma, with teak, mahogany, dark walnut and iroko. It has its fair share of varnish too, though it smells sweeter than varnish. It may be caramel or peanut brittle instead.
Mouth: yeah, this is very, very woody and Bourbon-y. Mahogany oil and walnut stain with shoe polish and coconut oil. Then, it is polished chestnut shells and oiled walnuts.
Finish: full and woody, if not spicy. Polished staves, oiled benches made of dark wood (walnut), and polished coconut shells. It ends with a pleasant sweetness that balances the otherwise-heavy wood. 7/10
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| The bottle comes with a metal badge. In good, protectionist fashion, it is made in China. |
We move on to cocktails for a bit.
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| Yankee Doodle (me) 1776 Missouri Bourbon [sic], Honey, Lemon, Hot Boston Harbor Tea |
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| The Manhattan Project (PC) America's 250th Birthday Bourbon [sic], Librarian's Vermouth, Bitters |
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| The World Turned Upside Down (JS) Rallypoint Rye Whiskey [sic], Knowledge of Good Apple Brandy, Madeira, Molasses, Egg |
StilL 630 4yo RallyPoint Single Cask (61.3%, OB, B#3, b#31)
Nose: dark cherries, followed by oily mahogany. It is fragrant, not overwhelming, with cured greengages, plums and rehydrated prunes. Fruity and woody, in short.
Mouth: still fruity, but it also steps firmly into woody territory and comes across as licking an oiled mahogany shelf. Beside that, it graduates to lychee, plums and Mirabelle plums.
Finish: long, fruity again, now full of wood spices to boot (cinnamon, cloves). We have Glühwein, cherries, maraschino cherries, and cinnamon sticks. It eventually develops a tad more Irn bru (a recurrent note in Rye whiskies), but is pretty tame, compared to other, similar makes. 8/10
StilL 630 RallyPoint DoubleBarrel (62.6%, OB, B#XII, b#58)
Nose: it has a lot of wood too, and some of it is burnt. Burnt wood, smoked maple syrup, cured grapes. The second nose has lychees and cherries.
Mouth: ooft! This is woody. Mahogany, oily teak, prunes and wood stain, rustic chairs, virtually unrecognisable under the patina. The second sip is full of prunes and has a pinch of cinnamon powder. Later on, Irn Bru makes an appearance.
Finish: dark and woody, this has chestnut shells and wood stain. The second gulp brings Irn Bru and juicy peaches. 7/10
StilL 630 Missouri Straight Bourbon Whiskey (61.95%, OB, B#3, b#87)
Nose: ah! This is, of course, very different, it being a Bourbon and all. It has fudge, toffee, then orange marmalade, cured mandarins and candied yuzu.
Mouth: fudge, caramel, butterscotch. Then, it turns hot and splintery, with galangal, ginger and cinnamon bark. The second sip has peach and fruit juice, before it reverts back to drying wood spices.
Finish: hot, warming. This is a hot toddy with cinnamon sticks and cassia bark. There is a delicious piping-hot cinnamon-y yoghurt at second gulp. 7/10
Good times, as usual. And the organisers were clever enough to leave all politics at the door. This was a celebration, not a political campaign. Roll on the next single cask!
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