About FEW Cask Strength Bourbon Whiskey
Hidden down a dark alley in a former chop shop, skilled men are quietly violating one of Evanston, Illinois' founding principles — Prohibition. Paul Hletko, master distiller at FEW Spirits, is proving that bourbon isn't just a Kentucky thing.
Hletko's three-grain bourbon recipe infuses generations of southern tradition with northern rye and a touch of a malt for smoothness. Aged in custom-made oak barrels from Minnesota, FEW Bourbon Whiskey has hints of plum, cherry and vanilla which give the bourbon its sweetness and balance out the notes of spicy rye, clove and pepper.
While many distilleries buy neutral grain spirit that they further distill into gin or whiskey, every drop of FEW Bourbon is made by hand in Hletko's space in downtown Evanston. Hletko buys his corn from a farmers' co-op in Indiana and his barley and rye from farmers in Wisconsin. The bourbon's flavor and lingering spice — which intensify the longer they hang around — earned FEW Bourbon Whiskey the Silver Medal at the San Francisco International Spirits Competition in 2012 and a score of 93 points from the Beverage Testing Institute.
Frances Elizabeth Willard, founder of the Women's Christian Temperance Union, would not be amused. As one of the leading figures in the movement that brought about Prohibition — and kept Evanston dry from 1855 until 1972 — it's unlikely she'd approve of its cheeky name, either, which is sometimes written as "F.E.W. Spirits."
"People say she's rolling over in her grave," Hletko jokes. "I wouldn't know about that — the name is just a coincidence."
This special, limited edition bottling of FEW Cask Strength Bourbon Whiskey was bottled at cask strength, a robust 117.5 proof. Pick up a bottle today before they're all gone!
About FEW
Whiskey inspired by pre-prohibition times, the golden age of spirits. FEW Spirits is a handcrafted, small-batch American whiskey brand, born in the home of temperance right outside of Chicago, IL. Founded as a dry community, Evanston, Illinois was the birthplace of the Women's Temperance Movement and home to Frances Elizabeth Willard, an influential protagonist in the story of Prohibition. As the Temperance Movement approached a boiling point, abstinence slowly began to creep across the country and Willard and her league of temperance supporters turned Evanston into a stronghold. For over 100 years, Evanston remained a dry town. It wasn't until Paul Hletko, owner and master distiller at FEW Spirits, began lobbying the town that the antiquated laws were lifted. Today, Hletko and his team of master distillers produce FEW Bourbon Whiskey in the heart of Evanston, Illinois.
About Bourbon
There are not many things more American than bourbon, and although most of it is produced in Kentucky, it can be produced all over the USA.
It must be made with at least 51% corn and bottled at 40% ABV or higher. So why not give this American classic a try?
Check out our impressive selection of bourbons, find your new favorite in Top 10 bourbons, or explore our treasury of rare & hard to find bourbons.
Woodford Reserve Kentucky Derby® 150 Limited Edition Bourbon Whiskey (1L)
