GSN Review: FEW Spirits

If you look closely at the FEW logo, you’ll notice that each letter is separated by a period.  There’s a reason for this.  The company is named after Frances Elizabeth Willard who lived in the distilleries’ hometown of Evanston, Illinois.  If you’re thinking that she was a women distiller, you’d be completely mistaken.  In fact, she was the head of the WCTU, or Women’s Christian Temperance Union.  This organization was one of the leading groups that eventually lead to the 18th amendment to the US constitution, i.e. – prohibition.  Today, a local elementary school is named after Ms. Willard, but according to the distillery’s founder Paul Hletko, he chose the name FEW because they focus on just a handful of spirits.

That may be so, but as you can see below, they have a healthy range of whiskies and gins available along with a grappa  and a white dog which we were not sent samples for review.

Here are a few of our thoughts on each product:

Quick Takeways

• Few American Gin (80 proof) –Lively nose with lemon citrus and juniper.  The flavor is sweet with a touch of vanilla and stronger elements of lemon and juniper.  GSN Rating: B+
• Few Barrel-Aged Gin (116.6 proof) – Spicy nose with candied citrus and deep juniper.  A lot of spice on the palate with ginger, clove, herbs and a subversive  vine berry essence.  Think holiday baking spices and jam.  GSN Rating: A
• Few Standard Issue Gin (114 proof) – Intense juniper, clove, cinnamon, and star anise on the nose.  A thicker mouthfeel with sweet orange and salad herbs.  Quite peppery and will stand up to anything you throw at it. GSN Rating: B+

• Few Bourbon Whiskey (93 proof) – Scents of heady vanilla, caramel cream and a hint of clove.  Flavors of toffee candy bar balanced with Indian cooking spices.  Surprisingly, quite like a rye whiskey. GSN Rating: B+
• Few Rye Whiskey (93 proof) – Orchard fruits baked with cinnamon come out of the gate on the nose.  Summer tree fruit and a hint of sugared orange rind round out the palate.  The fruitiest rye I’ve ever had. GSN Rating: B

• Few Single Malt Whiskey (93 proof) – The olfactory map is all over the place with creamy dessert characters, Honeycrisp apple, exotic baking spices and a chocolate brownie richness.  That’s just the nose!  The taste opens up into a plethora of spices, cocoa bean, and milk caramel.  GSN Rating: A

For more information go to: FEW Spirits