Few American Gin
FEW Spirits · FEW Spirits Distillery
FEW American Gin doesn't apologize for its grain character — it leans into it. The result is a gin that bridges the gap between juniper-forward London Dry tradition and the broader flavor ambitions of American craft distilling. It's an excellent Martini gin with enough personality to stand up to bolder cocktail applications.
Nose
Juniper is present but takes a step back for an unusual grain-forward warmth. Lemon peel and coriander seed are prominent, with a floral lift — hints of vanilla from the grain base — and a distinctive peppery edge.
Palate
The grain spirit base gives this gin a rounder, almost whiskey-adjacent mouthfeel. Juniper emerges more forcefully here, joined by cassia bark warmth and bright lemon. There's a subtle earthy angelica root quality that anchors the botanical cocktail. Slightly creamy on the mid-palate.
Finish
Medium, with lingering juniper, gentle vanilla, and a soft peppery warmth.
- Style
- American Dry Gin
- Botanicals
- Juniper, coriander, cassia bark, lemon peel, grains of paradise, hops
- Base Spirit
- Custom grain spirit (corn, wheat, malted barley)
- Distillation
- Pot distilled with vapor infusion of botanicals
Cocktail Suggestion
Evanston Martini — 2.5 oz FEW American Gin · 0.75 oz dry vermouth · 1 dash orange bitters · Stir over ice, strain into a chilled coupe, garnish with a lemon twist.
Food Pairing
Grilled shrimp with lemon-herb butter
Founded in 2011 in the historically dry suburb of Evanston, Illinois — where prohibition sentiment ran strong — Paul Hletko's FEW Spirits builds its gin from a custom grain spirit rather than neutral spirit, giving it an identity inseparable from the Midwest.
Be the first to comment.
Leave a comment
Beefeater Burrough's Reserve Oak Rested Gin
Beefeater
Master Distiller Desmond Payne's vision of what happens when the spirit meets the cask is brought to vivid life in Burrough's Reserve Oak Rested. Rested in hand-selected Jean de Lillet oak casks — previously used to age the storied French aperitif — this gin embodies the issue's theme at its most literal: the barrel's inner skin imparts golden color, vanilla richness, and a gentle tannic framework without ever eclipsing the juniper-forward London Dry character. It occupies a fascinating middle ground between gin and aged spirit, rewarding both neat sipping and barrel-aged cocktails.
Bols Genever Barrel Aged 18 Month
Bols
A masterclass in patience applied to the gin family tree. Where most gins celebrate the instant brightness of distillation, Bols Barrel Aged 18 Month embraces the slow alchemy of oak and time. The result is a spirit that bridges the worlds of aged whiskey and botanical distillate — furnace-forged grain spirit tempered into something deeply contemplative. Perfectly aligned with "The Furnace of Patience," this genever proves that even the juniper berry bows to time's authority.
Tanqueray Flor de Sevilla Gin
Tanqueray
Tanqueray Flor de Sevilla takes the classic London dry structure and overlays it with actual Seville orange botanicals, creating a gin that bridges tradition and accessibility. The bitterness of the orange is key — this is not a sweetened citrus gin but a genuine botanical expression. A versatile bottle for cocktails and a solid G&T anchor.
Conniption American Dry Gin
Durham Distillery
Durham Distillery's Conniption American Dry is a masterclass in restraint. By splitting its botanical bill between two distillation methods—heat-based and vacuum—it preserves each ingredient's essential character without compromise. The result is a gin that feels structurally honest: juniper-forward, quietly complex, and utterly transparent. In an era of gins dressed in lavender and tropical fruit, Conniption argues that the marrow of the spirit is decoration enough. Exceptional value at its price point.