We’ve covered a few of the spirits of Evanston, Ill.-based Few Spirits in the past. Today we turn our attention to some of Few’s more exotic offerings. As with the previously-reviewed offerings, these are true craft products made with local grains (all within 100 miles of the distillery) and no bulk or sourced alcohol in the mix.

Thoughts follow.

Few Spirits Standard Issue Gin – Not to be confused with Few’s American Gin, this is a high-test Navy strength spirit that’s intended to be more juniper forward, and features the addition of fennel to the infusion list. (The remainder of said list is not public.) The addition is immediately noticeable. After the initial rush of heat from all that alcohol fades, some intense licorice notes are left behind, alongside a smattering of very light herbal/almost root beer notes. Bone dry, the gin is almost completely lacking in citrus character, letting the one-two punch of juniper and fennel do the heavy lifting. If that relatively simple combination sounds like a winner to you, this overproof spirit will be right up your alley, otherwise it can come across as decidedly, well, “standard.” 114 proof. B / $40

Few Spirits Barrel Aged Gin – Aka Few Barrel Gin, this gin, a relatively standard infusion of juniper, coriander, and other botanicals, is aged in a mix of new oak barrels, ex-Bourbon barrels, and ex-rye barrels for an unstated amount of time. The results are pretty tasty. Here the racy herbal notes — juniper, citrus peel, coriander, and licorice — find an interesting balance with the woody notes of vanilla and dark chocolate. The finish is bitter and almost quinine-like, with hints of sweetness if you sip on it long enough — it’s altogether a solid example of a burlier style of aged gin — with the emphasis on “aged.” It’s pretty easy to enjoy alone, and it also mixes well with simple mixers. 93 proof. B+ / $50 [BUY IT NOW FROM THE WHISKY EXCHANGE]

Few Spirits Bourbon Whiskey – A high rye mash is used for this home-grown bourbon, fermented with a “special, peppery yeast.” No word on the aging regimen, but Few Bourbon drinks at a moderate age. The initial rush is sweet vanilla and racy red pepper mixed with ample baking spices, but corny cereal notes come to the forefront as the palate progresses. This pairs well with a nose that presents the best of both of those worlds — popcorn and vanilla syrup in a sort of Cracker Jack conflagration. It’s not a complex take on bourbon, but for a younger craft spirit, it’s drinking remarkably well. I’d love to try a version of this again after 2 more years of barrel time just to see how those popcorn notes settle down. 93 proof. B+ / $50 [BUY IT NOW FROM CASKERS] [BUY IT NOW FROM FROOTBAT]

fewspirits.com

Few Spirits Bourbon Whiskey

$50

8.5

Rating

8.5/10

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