Still Here for the Right Reasons

Most big-name distilleries churn out bourbon on an industrial scale using massive, continuous column stills. This is the factory assembly line of whiskey: ruthlessly efficient, consistent, and safe. It produces the familiar bourbons we mostly enjoy. It’s also, frankly, a bit predictable.

Few Spirits opted for a more difficult path, which, in the distilling game, usually means prioritizing flavor over volume. Instead of the giant, efficient column still, Few uses a hybrid still system. This isn’t a cute marketing gimmick; it’s a fundamental commitment that determines the character of every drop. Their setup is a pot still base with a short column, a mashup of old-school flavor and new-school refinement.

Pot Stills vs. Column Stills: The Showdown

To get why the hybrid matters, let’s look at the rivals:

Column Stills: The efficiency expert. It runs continuously, using plates to strip out everything that isn’t clean, high-proof spirit. It’s consistent and fast. The cost? It often polishes away the interesting, funky flavors, the soul of the grain, in its quest for purity.

Pot Stills: The temperamental, high-maintenance artisan. It works in batches, takes longer, and requires genuine skill to operate. Its “imperfection” is the whole point: it lets more of the mash’s oils, esters, and congeners, i.e., flavor and a richer mouthfeel, carry into the final spirit. The risk is high; a bad run is trash, but a good run is sublime.

Few Spirits decided they didn’t want to choose. Their copper hybrid still is a deliberate middle ground. It captures the rich, flavorful core of a pot still, then uses the column section for just enough control and refinement. It’s the distiller saying, “We want maximum character, but we’d also prefer not to accidentally produce industrial solvent.” This hybrid approach, focused on their unique Few’s bourbon stills, is why their bourbon has such a distinct, signature profile.

It’s Not Just the Still, It’s How You Use It

A shiny still is just a piece of copper if you don’t know how to run it. You can hand me a Formula 1 car, and I’ll still hit the tire wall. The distillers at Few are aggressively hands-on. They make the critical cuts, separating heads, hearts, and tails, by tasting and smelling the spirit, not by simply reading a flow meter.

This artisanal commitment allows them to target the exact flavor profile they want: one that amplifies the spicy, grainy notes from their mashbill. This is what you’re actually paying for. It’s not a product of automation; it’s the result of human expertise and the costly, time-consuming decision to prioritize flavor over maximizing volume.

Other Pieces of the Puzzle

Few Spirits’ bourbon stills get the spotlight in this post, but three other factors finish the job:

• Mashbill: They run a high-rye mashbill. Not exactly groundbreaking, but it is revolutionary when combined with their pot-column distillation. That still preserves more of the grain’s character, allowing those spicy, peppery rye notes to genuinely pop.
• Water: It’s Lake Michigan water. Sure, some purists will wax poetic about this, but let’s be real: it’s not the Kentucky limestone spring. It does, however, tie into their local Evanston identity, call it terroir if you’re feeling pretentious.
• Barrel Aging: Few intentionally uses smaller barrels and a shorter aging cycle, capitalizing on a climate that sees dramatic temperature shifts. This aggressively speeds up the spirit’s interaction with the wood. It’s a high-risk move that can easily result in an over-oaked spirit, but when it works, it’s a fast-track to a bold, distinctive profile.

So, Should You Buy a Bottle?

The final word is this: Few Spirits isn’t playing the Kentucky imitation game. They are unapologetically themselves. The techniques, especially the hybrid still, yield a spirit that is grainy, spicy, and full of character. It’s a polarizing bourbon. If your preference runs ultra-smooth and sweet, this will be a jolt to your system. If you’re an enthusiast who appreciates how technical decisions create unique flavor profiles, Few is a mandatory bottle.

Your palate is your own. What I taste as “bold and spicy,” you might taste as “aggressive and weird.” And that’s where a tool like OAKR comes in. Instead of just taking my sarcastic word for it, you can use the OAKR app to see what a whole panel of blind tasters found. OAKR aggregates tasting data to give you a comprehensive flavor profile before you even spend a dime. It helps you cut through marketing fluff and get straight to the probable taste experience.

You can explore the app to discover in-depth flavor profiles for Few Spirits and thousands of other bottles, and even get personalized recommendations based on what you already love. Stop guessing and start knowing. Your wallet, and your taste buds, will thank you.