City Gate Spirits Distillery

City Gate Spirits offers visitors a behind-the-scenes look at their unique approach to alcoholic beverage production, including a group tasting experience. City Gate Spirits provides samples of regional and tropical flavors of easy-sipping whiskey and rum, their local Florida moonshine, and specialty drinks. You'll be introduced to St. Augustine's 450-year tradition of distilling, brewing, and wine-making as you participate in an interactive group tasting, sampling four to six flavors currently in production—all of them for sale in the store. All products are created and bottled on-site by City Gate's master distillers, who will answer questions about their new take on this historic process. Some of their spirits are seasonal, and some are produced in limited batches. 

Types of Spirits

The list of flavors for each type of spirit changes with the season; visit their website to learn which flavors are available now and which may return later. 

Whiskey

City Gate Spirits creates smooth whiskies in several flavors, available seasonally. Here are some of their popular flavors.

• 1565 Rye Whiskey won the 2026 American Distilling Institute's Perfect Pour Award.
• Smoked Maple Whiskey is a seasonal whiskey that's perfect for sipping around a campfire. It's hearty and comforting and finishes with a bit of butterscotch.
• Salted Caramel Whiskey has hints of oak, vanilla, caramel, and salt, and is delicious as a dessert served over ice or ice cream.
• Peanut Butter Whiskey, made for those who love peanut butter cups, has a nutty, salty flavor with a surprising chocolate finish.
• Mango Datil Whiskey is a blend of tropical mango with the delightful punch of our local datil pepper. This whiskey is spice and sunshine in a bottle. 

Moonshine

In a homage to their southern roots, City Gate Spirits creates and bottles several flavors of moonshine. Some have a limited seasonal release, and some don't return each year. 

• Apple Pie Moonshine is just what it sounds like, a bite of tart apple, seasoned with vanilla, cinnamon, and (like your grandma's apple pie) one or two secret ingredients.
• White Lightning Moonshine, as the name implies, is a clear, unaged whiskey that strikes with a punch.
• Orange 'N' Cream Moonshine is a blend of two southern favorite flavors: Florida citrus and fresh cream. It's a lovely adult reminder of a sweet treat from your youth.
• Sweet Tea Moonshine is perfect for relaxing on a hot summer afternoon, offering the flavors of slow-steeped tea mixed with pure cane sugar.
• Cola Moonshine brings tastes of vanilla, black cherry, and sarsaparilla root. Serve it on the rocks, in a tall glass with some soda water. For a special treat, add a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream for an adult float. (Warning: Cola Moonshine is a seasonal flavor and not available year-round, or even every year. Be sure to stock up when you can.) 

Rum

If you enjoy the islands and their iconic rums, you'll appreciate the flavored rums.

• Spiced Orange Rum, offered seasonally for the holidays, combines the zest of spiced rum with the zesty flavor of orange peels.
• Tropical Rum blends the sweet flavors of mango and coconut with the tartness of lime for a balanced citrus and coconut libation. (It also has a limited, seasonal release.)
• Pineapple Rum is tropical, inviting, and reminiscent of sunny days and sandy beaches.
• Coconut Rum is light and balanced, with coconut and toasted vanilla providing a fresh drink on a hot day. (Hammock not included.)

Specialty

City Gate Spirits also makes Limoncello, which is offered in a limited, seasonal release.

Awards

USA Today named City Gate Spirits as winner of Best Craft Specialty Spirits in 2023, 2024, and 2025. 

City Gate

The name—City Gate Spirits—reflects the shop's location, steps inside the historic entrance to the City of St. Augustine, and directly across from the Castillo de San Marcos National Monument. Just as residents once welcomed friends through the City Gate, City Gate Spirits now welcomes visitors to stop by and create some moonshine memories.

City Gate Spirits is open from 11:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., seven days a week.