I have been a fan of FEW Spirits for a while, and I am always happy to revisit them after some time apart! I usually go for their Rye whiskey because it makes for a fantastic old fashioned! I am a huge fan of such smaller craft distilleries where their passion for the product shines through in all they do. You can usually tell the difference between just pushing a product and where there is actual passion. At FEW spirits, there is the passion, which will always be reason for me to try something.

FEW is located in  the Northern Chicago Suburb Of Evanston, Illinois. An interesting aspect of Evanston’s history is that the town played a part in the introducttion of prohibition across America, and was a stronghold of the temperance movement. Even after prohibition was all said and done, Evanston remained a dry community that held on to that concept for decades, until 1972.

Such history was the inspiration that fueled the FEW brand! The founders thought, why not create this bold new whiskey brand in a back alley, in the area that was a seat of prohibition! They set off to craft a whiskey that not only honoured Kentucky counterparts, but also had an exciting Chicago flare! They pride themselves on creating true grain-to-glass spirits that push those innovative boundaries!

We currently have their bourbon and rye, but hope to bring in some more FEW bottlings. I want to try every single one they produce! Hopefully when the world starts getting back to a less chaotic place, a trip to Chicago will be in the books!

The straight rye whiskey is what I’ll be enjoying tonight in one of their own FEW Bold Fashioned whiskey cocktail.

FEW BOLD FASHIONED

2 OZ FEW BOURBON

2 DASHES ANGOSTURRA BITTERS

1 SUGAR CUBE

SMOKED ORANGE SLICE AND SMOKED CHERRY

MUDDLE THE SUGAR, BITTERS AND ONE SPOON OF WATER.   ADD FEW BOURBON AND ICE.  STIR UNTIL SUGAR DISSOLVES.  ADD A SMOKED CHERRY AND SMOKED ORANGE FOR A BOLD FINISHING TOUCH.

Join me and enjoy a FEW yourself.

Slainte

Anthony

We have received a limited number of three new releases from the top of the line Johnnie Walker range. We don’t keep the limited edition JWs in stock very long, they are usually snatched up quite quickly. There’s no doubt that Johnnie Walker is one of the most popular whisky brands in the world, it’s no surprise that their limited-edition bottlings generate a loyal following!

Johnnie Walker Blue Label is inspired by Alexander Walker’s 1867 Old Highland Whisky. The range is created to showcase what quality cask selection can really do. Blue is crafted using some of the rarest and exceptional casks from Speyside and the Highlands.

The three we have received in stock are limited edition versions of the Blue Label. They include:

Blue Label Legendary 8 Edition – “a smooth, mellow Scotch made using some of our rarest whiskies from across the untamed fields of Scotland, including exceptionally rare whiskies from ‘ghost’ distilleries. Each whisky is hand selected from eight legendary distilleries – featured on the bottle and pack – that existed when John Walker made his first steps embarking on our journey that began 200 years ago.”

Blue Label Year of the Ox – The liquid inside is your beloved blue label whisky, but it is the limited-edition design that makes this special. Created to celebrate this Chinese New Year, to usher in prosperity and growth. Intricately designed by award winning artist Shirley Gong. Caramel and hazelnuts course through dark chocolate.

Blue Label 200th Anniversary – As the name suggests, this limited-edition bottle design is to celebrate Johnnie Walker’s 200 year journey “from Scotland to the four corners of the world”! Same beloved liquid.

Grab one of these limited edition bottlings before they are sold out!

Slainte,

Anthony

Whisky from all the way down in the wonderful island of Australia. I love trying spirits that make their distinct path in the drinks industry. It is quite refreshing when something unique occupies the new world whisky space, and Starward is one of those whiskies.

Born in the wonderful city of Melbourne, which is deemed the foodie capital of Australia, Starward focuses on flavour over everything else! Crafted to be that perfect companion to those friend or family filled dinner tables where enjoyment is the main focus. Another way that the distillery focuses on flavour, is instead of just finishing their whiskies in wine barrels, the full duration of maturation is done in different wine barrels. They did this to take on the old-world whisky ways and flip it. They wanted more of that in your face wine flavour burst! This mixed with the highly reactive climate in Melbourne, which they call elemental maturation, gives way to some wonderfully fruity flavours. The extreme weather differences in Australia gives way to some incredible reactions with the barrels.

The one we have here at the moment is their Tawny release. This is a limited edition project that is sure to disappear. Fully matured in fortified wine barrels that brings out a tasty rich and full flavour that is sure to please. It will not overpower new drinkers though; it still offers a pleasant smoothness. Wonderful fruity sweetness, with notes of dried citrus fruits, baking spices, and has a lovely dry finish.

Once the world starts calming down and travel opens back up, a visit to Australia is on the top of my list. For sure I’ll be heading to Melbourne for a distillery visit!

Slainte

Anthony

Yellow Label and Black Label Forager’s have easily become some of our favourite gins by a long shot! The Yellow being that wonderfully crisp and refreshing gin to take any G&T to the next level. The Black being the quiet sophistication that every gin martini should be made with! So, when we received our stock of the new releases from Forager’s, I was beyond excited!

From seeing that they were trailblazing with the use of sugar beets in crafting their vodka or teaming up with a Famous jeweler to produce an incredible gin liqueur! You can tell that every bit of effort that they put into their bottlings are full of passion! There are plenty of great spirits out there, but not as many that are continuously striving to make better offerings for their customer base, like the folks at Forager’s.

If you have yet to try anything from the Forager’s lineup, please do yourself a favour and grab a bottle or two!

From the distillery itself, let me present the three new releases from the heart of Wales!

“Y Bēt (The Beet) – Welsh Vodka

Vodka distilled in the foothills of Snowdonia. Smooth and slightly sweet, this spirit is handcrafted and slowly distilled through a copper still. With hints of peppermint, cream, and citrus. It’s the perfect vodka for any cocktail. We are pioneering the use of Sugar Beets in crafting this vodka! Handcrafted to be a little off-beat, this rhythmic spirit was composed to showcase the harmony of the Welsh elements!

Forager’s Soulful Sloe Gin

Forager’s is proud to release the Soulful Sloe Gin. Created the way nature intended, slowly macerated with the freshest, late harvest sloe berries, orange and cloves. Sweet, bitter and rounded; perfect for a cold winter evening.

Foragers Clogau 2020 Release

The rarest of the worlds gold, meets the gracious Forager’s Gin. Combining the richness of sea buckthorn and the clean cut taste of Foragers Black Label, for this once in a lifetime Gin Liqueur, which tastes just like Christmas. Made in collaboration with our wonderful Welsh neighbour, famous jeweler Clogau! Crafted using the fresh water from the Clogau St David’s gold mine, deep in the mountains of Snowdonia.”

Slainte

Anthony

Definitely on a bourbon kick lately and this one from Old Fitzgerald Distillery is really hitting the mark this week! Larceny is another one of those bourbons that just isn’t widely spread, and usually brings out that reaction of ,“I haven’t seen that one before”, when you break it out for guests. It is always a joy to be able to introduce something to friends that haven’t had it before.

John E. Fitzgerald, who had exceptional taste when it came to bourbon, is the inspiration for this whiskey. The story goes that Fitzgerald, who was a bonded US Treasury Agent, had the keys to the old rickhouses where all the bourbon barrels were stored. He would use those keys to get himself in and steal bourbon from the barrels and take jugs of it home for himself. When those barrels were unusually light and unbelievably smooth, giving truth to his exceptional whiskey palate. These barrels became known as Fitzgerald barrels, which just solidified his legacy.

Larceny Bourbon, part of the Heaven Hill family, is one of only a handful of wheated bourbons on the market. Most bourbon make-up is corn, rye, and barley. Larceny has replaced the rye with wheat, on top of that, it has 25% more wheat than other wheated bourbons. In turn that creates a much more softer and smooth sipping bourbon. The bite of the rye is not there.

Just because it is a softer sip, it most definitely doesn’t mean it is less flavourful! This bourbon packs a hearty kick of flavours that open up into different avenues depending how you decide to prepare it. This is one I for sure do not get tired of drinking. Lots of honey and oak, along with some underlying cinnamon. This is not a polarising bourbon at all, I would bet most bourbon/American whiskey drinkers will get along with it. Very accessible, especially in a manhattan!

Slainte

Anthony