FEW Spirits
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2011
- HeadquartersEvanston, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What FEW Spirits does
FEW Spirits is a craft distillery founded in 2011 by Paul Hletko in Evanston, Illinois—the historical seat of the Temperance Movement and the 1893 World's Fair-era pre-Prohibition whisky region. The company produces award-winning, small-batch artisanal whiskeys and gins using a 100% grain-to-glass production process: locally sourced grains, fermentation (in some products using a saison-style wheat-beer yeast), aging in American oak barrels, and bottling in American-made glass bottles. The core product line spans Straight Bourbon, Straight Rye, American Straight Whiskey, Single Malt Whisky (smoked with cherry wood rather than peat), Cold Cut Bourbon (proofed with cold-brew coffee), Immortal Rye (proofed with cold-extracted 8 Immortals Oolong Tea), Bottled-in-Bond Bourbon and Rye, and Chicago Smokeworks Whiskey. Production volumes are deliberately constrained, with only 500–600 bottles of Single Malt released annually worldwide.
A significant portion of FEW's brand and revenue engine is the Icons of Rock Collection—limited-edition collaboration whiskeys with major rock acts including Alice In Chains ('All Secrets Known' bourbon, 2019), Black Rebel Motorcycle Club (Motor Oil Whiskey, 2022), The Flaming Lips (Brainville Rye, 2023, 5,000 bottles), and The Smashing Pumpkins (Midnight Rose Tea bourbon, 2024). The company also operates a FEW & A Brew craft beer pairing program and a branded cocktail recipe library to drive on-premise and home consumption occasions.
FEW generates revenue through direct-to-consumer channels (website e-commerce, phone orders at 847.920.8628) and through a network of retail and liquor stores accessed via a store-finder tool, with a single-country/domestic U.S. distribution footprint. The company serves three primary consumer personas: craft whiskey enthusiasts seeking differentiated flavor profiles, music and pop culture collectors drawn to limited-edition releases, and craft beer enthusiasts engaged through the pairing program. FEW Spirits appears to be a subsidiary of Heaven Hill Distilleries, based on the shared Terms of Use and Privacy Policy infrastructure on heavenhill.com, which implies access to broader distribution, regulatory, and barrel-supply scale than an independent 11–50 employee craft producer would otherwise have.
FEW Spirits firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- FEW Spirits
- Legal name
- FEW Spirits
- Website
- https://fewspirits.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2011
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
FEW Spirits industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Craft Whiskey & Spirits
- NAICS
- Distilleries (312140)
- SIC
- Beverages (2080), Wholesale-Beer, Wine & Distilled Alcoholic Beverages (5180)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Spirits Distilling & Brands (CRADAIAC)
Keywords
Where FEW Spirits is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Evanston
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
FEW Spirits business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Spirits Sales: FEW Spirits generates revenue through direct sales of their craft whiskey and gin products, including bourbon, rye, American whiskey, single malt, and specialty/release whiskeys. Products are sold in limited batches and special editions at various price points through their website and retail locations.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Standard Craft Whiskey Line |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels5 records
FEW Spirits product offering
Product offeringCore offering
FEW Spirits is a craft distillery that produces and sells small-batch, artisanal whiskeys (bourbon, rye, American whiskey, single malt, Bottled-in-Bond, Cold Cut Bourbon, Immortal Rye, Chicago Smokeworks) and gin using a 100% grain-to-glass process with locally sourced grains, American oak barrel aging, and American-made glass bottles. The portfolio is anchored by a core whiskey line and extended through limited-edition rock-music collaboration whiskeys and signature cocktail recipes. Products are sold directly to consumers via the company website, phone, and third-party retail/liquor stores.
Product overview
FEW Spirits is a craft whiskey and gin distillery operating as a single-product-line manufacturer, not a software platform. The company produces award-winning, small-batch artisanal whiskeys and gins from its Evanston, Illinois facility, claiming 100% grain-to-glass production. The product portfolio centers on core whiskey offerings (Straight Bourbon, Straight Rye, American Straight Whiskey, Chicago Smokeworks Whiskey, Cold Cut Bourbon, Single Malt Whisky, Immortal Rye, and Bottled in Bond variants), complemented by a line of cocktails (Bold Fashioned, Boulevardier, Whiskey Sour, Immortal Dragon, Café Boulevardier, Chop Shop Jungle Bird, Bourbon Espresso Martini, FUDPUCKER, Chicago Sunset, and Spicy American Whiskey Smash). Additionally, the company produces limited-edition collaboration products including Motor Oil Whiskey (Black Rebel Motorcycle Club), All Secrets Known (Alice In Chains), Smashing Pumpkins Bourbon, and Brainville Rye Whiskey (The Flaming Lips), as well as the Icons of Rock Collection bundling multiple rock music collaborations.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Chicago Smokeworks Whiskey: A malt whiskey honoring Chicago's rebirth after the Great Chicago Fire, with notes of smoky cherry and charred caramel.
- Icons of Rock Collection
- Cold Cut Bourbon
- Immortal Rye
Products and services
- FEW Straight Bourbon Whiskey A hand-crafted, small-batch bourbon using a three-grain recipe that blends Southern tradition with northern rye spiciness and a touch of malt for smoothness, aged in charred oak barrels; aimed at craft whiskey enthusiasts.
- FEW Straight Rye Whiskey A small-batch rye whiskey with generous rye content married with corn sweetness, patiently aged in air-dried oak barrels for a spicy character; aimed at craft whiskey enthusiasts.
- FEW American Straight Whiskey A blend of award-winning Bourbon and Rye with cherrywood-smoked Malt Whiskey, featuring graham cracker, honey, savory rye spice, tart cherry, and subtle smoke; for craft whiskey enthusiasts.
- FEW Single Malt Whisky A 100% malted barley whisky smoked with cherry wood rather than peat, featuring smoked almond, honey, semi-sweet chocolate, and subtle smoke; only 500-600 bottles released annually worldwide, for collectors and craft whiskey enthusiasts.
- Cold Cut Bourbon Cask-strength bourbon brought to bottling strength using cold brew coffee, with cinnamon, clove, and dark roasted coffee notes; for craft whiskey enthusiasts and coffee-cocktail drinkers.
- Immortal Rye Cask-strength, award-winning Straight Rye Whiskey brought to proof with cold-extracted 8 Immortals Oolong Tea, delivering exotic peach, honey, and dragon fruit notes; for craft whiskey and tea enthusiasts.
- Bottled in Bond Rye A rye whiskey aged a minimum of four years and proofed to 50% ALC./VOL. under the U.S. Bottled-in-Bond Act of 1897, featuring black cherry, vanilla, marzipan, stone fruit, and oak smoke; for craft whiskey enthusiasts.
- Bottled in Bond Bourbon A bourbon bottled at 50% ALC./VOL. under the Bottled-in-Bond Act, distilled in a single season at FEW and aged a minimum of four years in American Oak in a federally bonded warehouse, with cherry, smoked vanilla, oak, and caramel notes; for craft whiskey enthusiasts.
- Chicago Smokeworks Whiskey A bold malt whiskey reimagined to honor Chicago's rebirth after the Great Chicago Fire, with deep smoky cherry and charred caramel notes; for craft whiskey enthusiasts and Chicago-themed collectors.
- Motor Oil Whiskey (Black Rebel Motorcycle Club collaboration) A limited-release blend of FEW Bourbon finished in rum barrels, FEW Bourbon finished in vermouth barrels, and mesquite-smoked wheat whiskey, bottled at 101 proof to celebrate 21 years of Black Rebel Motorcycle Club's debut album; for rock music fans and collector drinkers.
- All Secrets Known (Alice In Chains collaboration) A collaboration bourbon with Alice In Chains featuring FEW Bourbon finished in ex-tequila barrels for 6 months, bottled at 50.5% ABV (101 proof) with grassy agave undertones; for rock music fans and collector drinkers.
- Smashing Pumpkins Bourbon A bourbon collaboration with The Smashing Pumpkins brought to bottle strength using Billy Corgan's Midnight Rose Tea from his Chicago tea shop Madame Zuzu's, with rose water, sandalwood, caramel, vanilla, and black tea notes; for rock music fans and collector drinkers.
- Brainville Rye Whiskey (The Flaming Lips collaboration) A collaborative rye whiskey with The Flaming Lips made from a mashbill of 70% rye, 20% corn, and 10% malted barley grown within 150 miles of the distillery, fermented with French wine yeast and aged in new charred American oak barrels custom-made in Minnesota; 5,000-bottle release for rock music fans and collector drinkers.
Companies that use FEW Spirits
Customer profileSegments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
FEW Spirits technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
FEW Spirits partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Five partnerships are on record, tiered flagship and core.
- The Smashing PumpkinsflagshipFEW Spirits and The Smashing Pumpkins collaborated on a distinctive bourbon brought to bottle strength using Billy Corgan's Midnight Rose Tea from his Chicago tea shop Madame Zuzu's. Features notes of rose water, sandalwood, caramel, vanilla, and black tea.
- The Flaming LipscoreCollaborative Brainville Rye Whiskey made from grains grown within 150 miles of the distillery, using French wine yeast for fermentation, aged in new charred American oak barrels custom-made in Minnesota. Released 5000 bottles with psychedelic label design.
- Black Rebel Motorcycle ClubflagshipFEW Spirits collaborated with rock band Black Rebel Motorcycle Club to create Motor Oil Whiskey, a limited-release blend of three whiskeys (rum barrel-finished bourbon, vermouth barrel-finished bourbon, and mesquite-smoked wheat whiskey) celebrating the band's 21st anniversary of their debut album B.R.M.C. Bottled at 101 proof.
- Alice In ChainsflagshipCollaboration with Seattle grunge icons Alice In Chains resulted in 'All Secrets Known' bourbon - FEW Bourbon finished in ex-tequila barrels for 6 months, bottled at 101 proof. The label was designed by cover artist Justin Helton at the band's request.
- 8 Immortals TeacoreFEW uses cold extracted 8 Immortals Oolong Tea to bring Immortal Rye to proof, creating an award-winning rye with peach, honey, and exotic dragon fruit notes through this tea collaboration.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
FEW Spirits competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Corsair Distillery: Corsair is an independent craft distillery producing experimental whiskeys and gins (including triple-smoked and malted varieties) at small scale. Comparable to FEW as an innovation-driven craft distillery targeting enthusiast consumers with differentiated mash bills and finishes.
- Wilderness Trail Distillery: Wilderness Trail is a Kentucky craft distillery producing bourbon and rye with a focus on fermentation science and small-lot production. Comparable to FEW on small-batch craft whiskey targeting enthusiast segments with differentiated production methods.
- Journeyman Distillery: Journeyman is a craft distillery in Three Oaks, Michigan producing small-batch whiskeys, gin, and vodka with an emphasis on local grain sourcing and heritage storytelling — a near-direct analog to FEW's craft, locally-sourced, small-batch model.
- Rabbit Hole Distillery: Rabbit Hole is a Louisville craft distillery (backed by Pernod Ricard) producing innovative bourbon and rye expressions at premium price points with strong brand storytelling. Comparable to FEW on craft-distilled, narrative-driven American whiskey targeting the enthusiast/premium consumer.
- Copper Fox Distillery: Copper Fox is a Virginia craft distillery producing small-batch whiskeys with proprietary wood-smoking techniques (applewood, cherrywood). Directly comparable to FEW's cherry wood smoking innovation and small-batch, handcrafted positioning.
- Smooth Ambler: Smooth Ambler is a West Virginia craft distillery producing small-batch bourbon, rye, and specialty whiskeys. Comparable to FEW as a craft producer with award-winning core and limited-edition releases targeting enthusiast consumers.
- Koval Distillery: Koval is a Chicago-area craft distillery producing organic grain-to-grain whiskey, gin, and other artisanal spirits. Closely comparable to FEW as a Midwestern craft producer focused on small-batch, locally-sourced-grain whiskey with a strong local/regional identity.
- Balcones Distilling: Balcones is a Texas craft distillery renowned for innovative whiskey expressions (including baby blue corn and single malt). It mirrors FEW's approach of using non-traditional techniques (e.g., cherry wood smoke) to differentiate from Kentucky-style bourbon.
Broad incumbents
- WhistlePig: WhistlePig is a Vermont-based rye whiskey producer (now backed by LVMH) known for premium small-batch and aged rye expressions. Comparable to FEW as a craft-credibility, premium-priced American whiskey brand that scaled from craft roots into broader distribution.
- Bardstown Bourbon Company: Bardstown Bourbon Company is a Kentucky-based craft-credible producer operating a custom-distilling platform plus branded whiskeys. Comparable to FEW on craft positioning and innovation, but at meaningfully larger scale with broader national distribution.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
FEW Spirits social profiles
Digital presenceFEW Spirits financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
FEW Spirits leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
FEW Spirits funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
FEW Spirits M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about FEW Spirits
What does FEW Spirits do?
FEW Spirits is a craft distillery that produces and sells small-batch, artisanal whiskeys (bourbon, rye, American whiskey, single malt, Bottled-in-Bond, Cold Cut Bourbon, Immortal Rye, Chicago Smokeworks) and gin using a 100% grain-to-glass process with locally sourced grains, American oak barrel aging, and American-made glass bottles. The portfolio is anchored by a core whiskey line and extended through limited-edition rock-music collaboration whiskeys and signature cocktail recipes. Products are sold directly to consumers via the company website, phone, and third-party retail/liquor stores.
Is FEW Spirits a public or private company?
FEW Spirits is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was FEW Spirits founded?
FEW Spirits was founded in 2011. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is FEW Spirits based?
FEW Spirits is headquartered in Evanston, United States, in the North America region.
How does FEW Spirits make money?
One revenue line is on record: spirits Sales.
Who are FEW Spirits's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Corsair Distillery, Wilderness Trail Distillery, Journeyman Distillery, Rabbit Hole Distillery, Copper Fox Distillery, Smooth Ambler, Koval Distillery and Balcones Distilling. Broad incumbents are WhistlePig and Bardstown Bourbon Company.
Does FEW Spirits have an API?
No public API is recorded for FEW Spirits.
What industry is FEW Spirits in?
FEW Spirits's product category is Craft Whiskey & Spirits. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRADAIAC, Spirits Distilling & Brands. Its NAICS code is 312140 and its SIC code is 2080.