Bourbon Lens
We’re joined by multi-Platinum country music artist, Dierks Bentley, in this special episode of Bourbon Lens. Dierks recently wrapped up his Gravel & Gold Tour and is firmly planted back in Nashville preparing for his next album. We had the privilege to sit down with Dierks to talk about his newest project, Row 94 Whiskey. Row 94 is a Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey distilled at the historic Green River Distilling Company. Dierks aims for Row 94 to be the bourbon you reach for when you’re enjoying a night with friends, listening to live music, or pouring a whiskey...
info_outline 301: Restoration and History with Cook’s Mill Whiskey Founder Jason QueenBourbon Lens
On a recent trip to Myrtle Beach we crossed paths with Jason Queen as he was working to promote his bourbon in South Carolina. Jason shared a bit of history with us and a whiskey too. That chance meeting and conversation inspired this latest episode of the Bourbon Lens Podcast. Jason, a serial entrepreneur and conservationist purchased Cook’s Mill, an old grist mill in order to restore this once thriving mill. That goal set him on a path to creating a whiskey that is focused paying homage to North Carolina’s past. Sit back and buckle in for the latest episode of the...
info_outline 300: Celebrating a New Milestone with Birthday Bourbon at Old ForesterBourbon Lens
We are celebrating a BIG milestone this week as we release the 300th Episode of Bourbon Lens. Old Forester and Brown-Forman were gracious enough to invite Jake and Scott to Whiskey Row to celebrate. Bourbon Lens is joined by Melissa Rift and Caleb Trigo from Old Forester to discuss the historic brand, its legacy and future, and to toast our milestone with the 2024 Edition of Birthday Bourbon. We couldn’t think of a better choice for celebrating this milestone episode and thank the team at Brown-Forman and Old Forester for their support all these years. As we celebrate this...
info_outline 299: Building the Best 5 Bottle American Whiskey BarBourbon Lens
It’s the question that every whiskey enthusiast has been asked: What’s the one bottle of whiskey you keep on your bar? Since one bottle clearly wouldn’t make a great podcast, we decided to up the ante a bit and decided to build the Ultimate 5 Bottle American Whiskey Bar. Jake and Scott run through how they would build their whiskey bar if only afforded 5 slots. We’ve given ourselves criteria in hopes of finding a bottle for every niche and occasion. We run through our choices for 1) best everyday whiskey, 2) best cocktail whiskey, 3) high proof whiskey, 4) Top Shelf...
info_outline 298: The Most Exciting New Whiskey Releases for Fall 2024Bourbon Lens
It’s been a wild season of new whiskey and bourbon releases and we’re catching up on some of the ones you may have missed. The press releases have been coming in fast and furious of late and Bourbon Lens is doing our best to keep you abreast of all the news. We recap some of the most exciting releases from the heritage Kentucky distilleries, the best distilleries both inside and outside of Kentucky, and even some celebrity brands that have the whiskey world talking. As always, be sure you’re following along at BourbonLens.com for all the latest news and notes of the whiskey world. ...
info_outline 297: Kentucky Bourbon Festival 2024 Recap and Planning for Next YearBourbon Lens
Scott and Jake sit down to debrief after a long weekend at the We discuss some of our favorite pours and experiences from yet another memorable Festival. We must give a shoutout to our AirBnB housemates who joined us to celebrate and to all our listeners who introduced themselves over the weekend. We wrap up this recap episode with some tips to consider as you plan your trip to the . Thank you to the Kentucky Bourbon Festival, its board and staff, and Estes PR for inviting us to the Festival to cover the events and festivities of the weekend. Image Credit: We are thankful for your...
info_outline 296: Our Trip to New Riff Distilling with Jay ErismanBourbon Lens
Scott and Jake travel to Newport Kentucky to visit New Riff Distilling and sit down with co-founder Jay Erisman. We kick back inside the Aquifer Bar to discuss New Riff’s history, their whiskey portfolio, and what’s ahead now that the distillery recently celebrated its 10th anniversary. In this episode, we taste New Riff Bottled in Bond Bourbon, Silver Grove Bourbon, Malted Rye, and their 8 Year Bourbon. Stay tuned to Bourbon Lens for more coverage of New Riff coming soon, including their second batch of Kentucky Single Malt and their Whisky NRD tasting courses currently...
info_outline 295: Four Roses New Limited Edition Small Batch Bourbon for 2024Bourbon Lens
We continue our coverage for Bourbon Heritage Month as we explore Four Roses Bourbon, including their new . We are joined by Brent Elliott, Master Distiller for Four Roses Bourbon Distillery. We discuss Brent’s process for crafting this limited edition bourbon, the , the distillery’s commitment to quality and tradition, and the recent announcement of an expansion of the Four Roses Bourbon recipe lineup. What is your favorite Four Roses recipe or release? About Four Roses: Established in 1888, Four Roses combines two mashbills with five proprietary yeast strains to distill...
info_outline 294: James B. Beam Distilling Co. is Celebrating a Big MilestoneBourbon Lens
We’re kicking off National Bourbon Heritage Month with one of the legendary distilleries of Kentucky Bourbon. We’ve traveled to James B. Beam Distilling Co. to chat about the Homeplace, located in Clermont, Kentucky and their 90th year at that location. Alex Bowie, Director of Homeplace Experience at James B. Beam Distilling Co. sits down with Jake and Scott inside the Historic Beam House. We discuss how Beam has evolved its Homeplace over the last 90 years, the importance of adapting to the evolving bourbon tourist, and some of the innovations coming from this historic...
info_outline 293: Heaven's Door Whiskey and The Last RefugeBourbon Lens
We travel to The Last Refuge in Louisville’s NuLu neighborhood to visit the future brand home of Heaven’s Door Whiskey. We are joined by Adam Edwards, National Brand Ambassador, to discuss the inspiration behind the brand, Bob Dylan’s art and music, and their portfolio of whiskeys. We are thankful for your support over the last 5 years. We must give the biggest shoutout to our growing Patreon Community of supporters! As always, we'd appreciate it if you would take a few minutes time to give us feedback on Bourbon Lens podcast. If you enjoy our content, consider giving us a 5...
info_outlineA grain-to-glass distillery since 2011, FEW Spirits produces craft whiskey in a tucked away alley located in the Chicago suburb of Evanston, IL. A historical town where Prohibition lasted until 1972, Founder & Master Distiller Paul Hletko changed the future of Evanston when he opened FEW Spirits Distillery, the first (legal) alcohol-production facility of any kind to ever open there.
We are thankful for everyone who has supported us. A huge shoutout to our growing Patreon Community as well! We'd appreciate it if you can take the time to give us feedback on our podcast. If you enjoy our content, consider giving us a 5 star rating on your favorite podcast app, leave us a review, and tell a fellow bourbon lover about our show.
Follow us @BourbonLens on Instagram, Facebook, & Twitter. And please check out our Patreon to learn how you can support our endeavors, earn Bourbon Lens swag, be part of future barrel picks, and more. If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions, please email us at [email protected].
Visit our website BourbonLens.com to check out our blog posts, or even purchase your own Bourbon Lens tasting glass or t-shirt.
Cheers,
Scott, Jake, & Michael
Bourbon Lens
About the Brand:
Paul Hletko always knew he wanted to make craft spirits —produced in the local Chicago area -that offered something different, delicious and fun. Living in Evanston, a town that was prime for change after being dry for four decades post the repeal of prohibition, Paul felt it was the perfect home and backdrop for FEW and the brand. Deeply integrated into the brand story, both Evanston and Chicago are crucial elements of the FEW DNA and its inspiration. From its liquid, created from locally grown or sourced ingredients, to the look & feel of the design, which pays homage to the 1893 World’s Fair in Chicago— FEW is the true definition of a local Illinois craft spirit.
FEW Spirits features a refreshing and innovative portfolio including a stable of core spirits and several small batch limited edition specialty expressions. Each flagship spirit is a new take on the timeless liquors of the past; distilled from the very best grains, aged to perfection, and bottled under the FEW roof. The small batch limited editions hold true to the premium quality FEW drinkers have to come to love and expect from the brand, but offer something novel to the oft-ordinary taste and style we’ve all grown accustomed to.
In a world over saturated with mass-produced spirits, only few remain truly handcrafted, locally sourced and small-batched. FEW has never strayed from this —even as it grows, Paul and his team continue to provide consistently impeccable spirits that are true to their craft roots and reminiscent of their home base.
About Paul Hletko - Founder & Master Distiller
A maverick for the ages, Paul Hletko wore many hats before launching FEW Spirits, but one thing has always remained consistent throughout —he loves to make new things. Whether that was making blueprints as an engineer, deals as a lawyer or music for his rock-n-roll band, at his core Paul is a creative and always wants to bring something to the table that hasn’t been done before.
“All my life, I’ve tried to be a creative person and beat to the sound of my own drum,” says Paul. “At the end of the day, I like to have created something that didn’t exist that morning and offers something completely different.” FEW Spirits was and is exactly that. And while that notion, and Evanston’s history itself led to the creation of FEW, the biggest inspiration for Paul was his own family history. Prior to World War II, Paul’s grandfather owned a large brewery in what is now the Czech Republic and after losing the brewery to the Nazi invasion he fought the remainder of his life to get the brewery back. When his grandfather passed away and Paul was at the end of his time with the music industry, he decided to start a distillery of his own. He says, “I wanted to create something that would honor my family history but didn’t want to try and replicate it. With FEW, I am able to celebrate my roots while being able to create something new.”
In 2011 Paul opened the FEW Distillery and since then has produced award wining spirits that are original, distinctive and playful. His love for the nuances & flavor of whiskey and his flexibility to innovate with gin have made them FEW’s backbone products, but he continues to play around and innovate daily with limited expressions and new collaborations. In the future, Paul aspires to take FEW to an even bigger production facility where he and his team can continue to produce their liquid for enthusiasts around the world, while still remaining true to their craft roots. Recently, Paul was named the 2018 World Distiller of the Year in Gin Magazine’s annual ”Icons of Gin” feature.
About the Production
Small but mighty, FEW Distillery makes its spirits using three stills, which according to Founder Paul Hletko is a rarity among production facilities of its size. Both the whiskey and gin originate in a Vendome still used for initial distillation, then a 1,500-liter hybrid still is used to finish the whiskies, while a smaller 150-liter pot still is used exclusively to distill the gins with their botanicals. The distillery team consists of Paul as Master Distiller and a small group of loyal and passionate craft spirit professionals.
A Letter from the Founder:
Dear friends of FEW,
FEW Spirits is proud to share our passion and single minded obsession with whiskey with whiskey fans all over the world. Our accomplishments are not ours alone, but indeed are shared with you our loyal consumers, trade partners and distributors. We are humbled by your deep interest and are thrilled about the continuing this journey with you by our side.
A Decade of Defiance
We built FEW on defiance and a refusal to accept the status quo. We defied the odds by choosing Evanston as our home - we changed the laws of our beloved Prohibitionist hometown. Inspired by the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair, itself a celebration of innovation and new ways of thinking and doing things, we deliberately chose to craft a product that would require years of aging before it could be sold. We chose to create grain-to-glass spirits, using local grains and materials, although cheaper and easier alternatives are everywhere. And we defiantly made a world class Bourbon from Chicago, when most people thought that wasn’t even possible. We defiantly and intentionally broke from bourbon tradition and expectation. We defiantly distill a Rye Whiskey deemed ‘the rye against which all others must be judged’. We released innovative products like Cold Cut Bourbon and Immortal Rye. We entered spirits competitions and won... a lot, winning best in the world more than once. We collaborated with musicians before it was the “in thing” to do. We have supported our community. We have endured challenges and enjoyed celebrations. On This Great Milestone,we are excited to release limited edition, 10th Anniversary four-grain Bourbon. It is bold, yet smooth - undeniably FEW. Here we stand, tall and proud, and eager for what lies on the horizon.
Leveling Up and Looking Ahead
Never content to sit still, we anticipate remarkable things ahead for FEW. We are expanding our facilities and investing in our future, laying down thousands of whiskey barrels and aging whiskey stocks for decades to come. We are reaching dozens of new markets, hitting new store shelves, proudly adorning new bar shelves and menus nationwide, and expanding our footprint internationally. Our FEW & a Brew program, pairing our bold and complex whiskeys with specific styles of beer, continues to connect with craft beer drinkers’ love of explosive flavor. We continue to push the limits of innovation, crafting creative and bold new whiskeys. We continue to forge collaborations with interesting people, brands and musicians. We are looking ahead and will be releasing FEW Bottled in Bond Straight Bourbon, which conforms to the strict code of the Bottled in Bond Act of 1897. This coincides with our effort to establish a minimum age of four years for all our whiskeys and will continue to make high caliber and world class credentialed whiskeys.
In short, here’s my promise to you: we will keep doing what we have been doing the last 10 years: making interesting, creative, and bold whiskeys. These whiskeys will push boundaries, defy the ordinary, and live up to the high standards we have always held ourselves to at FEW Spirits. We believe that fortune fancies the bold, and you better believe - excitement lies ahead. For this, and all the support you have shown us these first 10 years, we humbly thank YOU.
Sincerely,
Paul Hletko
Founder & Master Distiller
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