The loudest distilleries are usually overcompensating. We prefer to let the three-year process speak for itself. You’ve seen the eighty different bottles that all claim to be "small batch" and "hand-crafted." If you’re actually looking for a spirit that tastes like it was engineered by a distiller with an opinion, not a marketing algorithm, you need to look at the hard data: the production variances. We’re here to talk about the actual mechanics of why Few Spirits tastes the way it does. Specifically, we are diving into the grit of it: the mashbills and the Few Spirits yeast strategy. Because, believe it or not, the stuff you ferment actually changes how the final spirit tastes.
For the uninitiated, a “mashbill” is just the recipe, the ratio of grains used to make the whiskey. Legally, bourbon has to be at least 51% corn. After that, distillers can do whatever they want. Most just drop in some rye and malted barley and call it a day.
Few Spirits, located in Evanston, Illinois, ironically, the birthplace of the Temperance Movement, takes a slightly more focused approach. They aren’t trying to recreate the same old Kentucky profile you’ve been drinking since college.
Their flagship bourbon usually leans on a high-corn base, often cited around 70%, supported by a healthy dose of rye (around 20%) and malted barley.
Here is the translation for your palate:
While a 20% rye content isn’t earth-shattering, Few’s grain-to-glass philosophy means they are actually grinding, cooking, and fermenting this stuff on-site. They aren’t buying generic whiskey from a factory in Indiana and slapping a label on it. When you drink Few, you are tasting their grain choices. The result is usually spicy and younger.
It’s not ‘smooth’ because it’s not supposed to be. It’s meant to have a character that demands your attention. This profile is punchier than the mass-produced alternatives.
Their Rye Whiskey is where the mashbill gets fun. It’s roughly 70% rye, 20% corn, and 10% malt. That 20% corn is significant. Many rye whiskies are 95% rye, which can taste like chewing on a pinecone (in a good way, sometimes). Few cuts that herbal aggression with the sweetness of corn, making a rye that actually plays nice with others in a cocktail without disappearing completely.
Now, let’s get to the nerdy stuff that actually matters: the yeast.
Most big commercial distilleries treat yeast as a utility: they want it to show up, do its job efficiently, produce alcohol, and not make a scene. They use standard distiller’s yeast strains designed for high yield. It’s efficient, but it contributes about as much personality as a cardboard box.
Paul Hletko, the founder of Few, doesn’t treat yeast as a utility; he treats it as a flavoring ingredient. This is a concept borrowed heavily from the brewing world (think Belgian beers or Saisons) and winemaking.
When yeast consumes sugar, it produces alcohol and burps out carbon dioxide. Crucially, it also creates compounds called esters. Esters are what give spirits fruity, floral, or funky notes.
Few Spirits utilizes yeast strains geared towards high ester production. They aren’t just looking for maximum alcohol yield; they are looking for specific flavors during fermentation.
For example, they have been known to use yeast strains more common in French wine production or Belgian beer brewing than in Kentucky bourbon making. This is why when you stick your nose in a glass of Few, you might get hit with stone fruit, spice, or a strangely pleasant floral note that you just don’t find in the big brands.
They ferment these grains to create a “distiller’s beer” that actually tastes good before it even hits the still. Few ensures the base is flavorful, thanks to that specific yeast selection.
You know that Few uses a high-rye bourbon mashbill and some funky, wine-adjacent yeast strains. But how do you know if you will actually like it?
OAKR is the best bourbon sommelier app on the market because it doesn’t care about the marketing fluff on the bottle. It aggregates tasting data from blind tasting panelists. It removes the bias of the label, the price tag, and the “cool factor” of the yeast strain, focusing purely on flavor.
Everyone has a unique tasting experience. You might pick up the spicy rye notes in Few, while your buddy gets hit with the fruity esters from that special yeast. OAKR does the heavy lifting to showcase these flavor profiles visually before you drop $50 on a bottle.
Instead of guessing whether “French wine yeast” sounds delicious or terrifying, download OAKR. Explore the flavor profiles, see the data, and get personalized recommendations that fit your actual taste, not just what some blogger tells you to buy.
Few Spirits is unique because they refuse to be boring. They take standard grains and process them with the care of a craft brewer, and they utilize Few Spirits yeast strains to inject specific, fruit-forward, and spicy flavors into the distillate before it ever touches a barrel.
It’s whiskey for people who are tired of the status quo. It’s distinct, it’s polarizing, and it’s unapologetic. If you want smooth and invisible, buy vodka. If you want to taste the science of fermentation, try Few.
And if you want to make sure you’re buying the right bottle for your palate, check OAKR first. Cheers.
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