FEW Spirits
Overview of the distillery
FEW Spirits is a grain-to-glass distillery in Evanston, a suburb just north of Chicago, which since 2011 has produced handcrafted whisky and gin in small batches. Founded by Paul Hletko, FEW is known for locally sourced grain, American oak casks, and a creative, Chicago-inspired approach that both honors the pre-prohibition era and aims to break with convention.
History
FEW Spirits was established as a grain-to-glass project in 2011 when founder and distiller Paul Hletko turned his eyes toward making spirits in the heart of Evanston. The story draws heavily on the area's history: inspiration from the 1893 World's Fair and Evanston's role in the temperance movement and the Prohibition era color the brand's identity. The distillery settled into a backstreet in Evanston in a former auto shop, and the ambition was clear from the start: to create a modern, northern whiskey style by combining locally sourced grain, small-batch processes, and a willingness to challenge traditional expectations of American whiskey.
Raw Materials and Production
FEW operates on a grain-to-glass principle and uses locally sourced grains in its small-batch production. Several products are described with concrete methods: some malt whiskies are smoked with cherrywood instead of traditional peat, and a version is fermented with a French wine yeast. For certain special releases, cold extracts are also used (e.g., cold-brewed coffee to bring cask-strength bourbon to bottle strength) and local mash bills are documented for collaborative releases. The bottles are made from American glass, and aging takes place primarily in American oak casks. The production process centers on craftsmanship, repeatability in small batches, and experimental finishing methods.
Maturation and Cask Types
Many of FEW's whiskies are aged in American oak barrels; rye expressions are specifically described as aged in air-dried oak barrels. Some projects use new, charred American oak barrels crafted specifically for the purpose. Special finish experiments include rum and vermouth finishes, ex-tequila finish, and the use of smoked components, while Bottled-in-Bond releases are aged at least four years in a federally bonded warehouse in accordance with the law.
Whiskies
The range spans classic straight bourbon and rye whiskies to single malt, American 'blends', and a number of collaboration and limited releases. There are both cask-strength experiments (e.g., Cold Cut Bourbon), tea- and coffee-interventions (Immortal Rye, Smashing Pumpkins) and music collaborations (Alice In Chains, Smashing Pumpkins, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, The Flaming Lips). Some releases are listed as limited editions, e.g., single malt (500–600 bottles) and Brainville Rye (5,000 bottles).
| Whisky | Type / Series | Alcohol | Age | Cask and Style | Flavor Profile | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago Smokeworks Whisky | Malt whisky | A reinterpretation of traditional malt whisky with pronounced smoke tones inspired by Chicago history and the city’s resurgence. Nose: Deep smoked cherry and charred caramel (described aroma) | ||||
| Straight Bourbon | Straight Bourbon Whisky | Charred oak barrels | A handcrafted small-batch bourbon that, according to the text, blends Southern tradition with Northern rye and a touch of malt for a smooth structure. Aged in charred oak barrels. | |||
| Straight Rye | Straight Rye Whisky | Air-dried oak barrels | A rye with a generous rye content paired with the sweetness of corn. According to the description, it is patiently aged in air-dried oak barrels and highlighted for its spicy character. | |||
| American Straight Whisky (blend) | Blended whiskey | A version composed of selected bourbon and rye whiskies with a touch of malt acidity and cherrywood smoke for complexity. Presented as an accessible entry with multiple layers.; Nose: graham cracker/honey and light rye spice with a hint of smoke; Palate: slightly tart cherry in the mid-palate with a hint of pepper; Finish: subtle white pepper and honey in the aftertaste (described profile) | ||||
| Single Malt Whisky | Single Malt | Smoked / dried | 100% malted barley, smoked with cherry wood instead of peat. It is also noted that only 500–600 bottles are released annually worldwide.; Nose: Smoked almond and honey; Taste: Texture and flavor notes that evoke cappuccino and semi-sweet chocolate with subtle cherrywood smoke | |||
| Cold Cut Bourbon | Bourbon (cask strength then cold-brew adjusted) | A cask-strength FEW Bourbon, brought to bottle strength using cold-brewed coffee. The combination highlights the whiskey's own character while coffee adds depth. Nose: cinnamon and clove with dark roasted notes; Taste: soft coffee-like tones that develop sip after sip; Finish: soft and lingering | ||||
| Immortal Rye | Rye whiskey | A cold-extracted tea edition of FEW's cask-strength straight rye, brought to strength with 8 Immortals Oolong tea, which according to the text yields overtones of peach, honey and exotic fruit. | ||||
| Bottled-in-Bond Rye | Rye whiskey (Bottled-in-Bond) | 50 % | Minimum 4 years | American oak (Bottled-in-Bond) | Bottled-in-Bond Rye is bottled at 50% ABV and aged at least four years under the requirements that define the Bottled-in-Bond classification. Nose: Dark cherry, vanilla and almond with aromas of stone fruit and oak smoke | |
| Bottled in Bond Bourbon | Bourbon (Bottled-in-Bond) | 50 % | Minimum 4 years | American oak (Bottled-in-Bond) | A Bottled-in-Bond Bourbon bottled at 50% ABV, distilled in the same season and aged at least four years in American oak barrels as the Bottled-in-Bond requirements prescribe. Nose: Cherry, smoked vanilla, oak and caramel | |
| Smashing Pumpkins Bourbon | Bourbon (collaboration); FEW Spirits Icons of Rock Collection | A collaboration with The Smashing Pumpkins, where the bourbon is brought to bottle strength using Billy Corgan's Midnight Rose Tea. The notes mention rose water, sandalwood, caramel, vanilla and black tea. | Regionally limited (listed as 'CA only' for purchase in the product text) | |||
| All Secrets Known (Alice In Chains) | Bourbon (finished); FEW Spirits Icons of Rock Collection | 50.5 % | Ex-tequila barrels (finish); finish: 6 month finish in ex-tequila casks | All Secrets Known is a collaboration with Alice In Chains; this bourbon is finished in ex-tequila casks for 6 months and bottled at 50.5% ABV. The text notes limited availability in the current season.; Flavor: Topnotes of bourbon with grassy and agave undertones | Limited; Region: 'CA only' for purchase in the product text | |
| Motor Oil (Black Rebel Motorcycle Club) | Blend (collaboration); FEW Spirits Icons of Rock Collection | Rum and vermouth finished components; mesquite smoked component; finish: Blend of bourbon finished in rum- and vermouth-fades and mesquite-smoked wheat whiskey | A limited tribute to Black Rebel Motorcycle Club consisting of a three-part blend: bourbon finished in rum casks, bourbon finished in vermouth casks, and a mesquite-smoked wheat whiskey component. The text notes the blend is bottled at 101 proof. | Limited; Region: 'CA only' for purchase in the product text | ||
| Brainville Rye (Flaming Lips) | Rye whiskey | New, charred American oak barrels (custom-made) | A collaboration with The Flaming Lips. Mashbill: 70% rye, 20% corn and 10% malted barley grown within 150 miles. Fermented with a French wine yeast and aged in new, charred American oak barrels; release of 5,000 bottles mentioned in the text. Nose: Stone fruit, apple and pear (described profile from product text) | Limited |
The whiskies' style and flavor profile
FEW's releases often trend toward pronounced smoke (cherry wood or mesquite), stone fruit / pome fruit (cherry, peach, pear), and spicy-sweet elements such as rye spice, vanilla, honey and caramel. Additionally, coffee-like notes and tea-like layers appear in some special editions, giving a broad yet recognizable style across core and limited editions.
Philosophy and Craft
FEW builds its identity on pre-prohibition inspiration, a 100% grain-to-glass principle, and handcrafted small-batch production. The company highlights locally sourced grain, American oak casks, and domestically produced packaging as concrete choices. The story blends respect for tradition with a willingness to experiment and break the rules.