ALSO KNOWN AS THE COLUMBIAN EXPOSITION, THE 1893 WORLD’S FAIR TOOK PLACE IN CHICAGO, ILLINOIS. IT REPRESENTED THE DAWN OF MODERNISM & INTRODUCED OUR NATION TO PHOSPHORESCENT LIGHTS, MOVING WALKWAYS, AN ELECTRICITY POWERED WATER FOUNTAIN AND THE INVENTION OF THE FERRIS WHEEL. IT WAS EVEN THE LAUNCHING GROUND OF A NOTABLE BRAND OF JUICY CHEWING GUM AND A BRAND OF BEER THAT WAS AWARDED A FIRST PLACE BLUE RIBBON. BOTH ARE STILL AROUND TODAY.
HOWEVER, IT WAS ALSO THE GOLDEN AGE OF PRE-PROHIBITION WHISKY.
SEVERAL DECADES LATER, EVANSTON, A SUBURB JUST NORTH OF CHICAGO, WOULD BECOME KNOWN AS THE SEAT OF PROHIBITION AND THE ESTABLISHED HEADQUARTERS FOR THE TEMPERANCE MOVEMENT – SPEARHEADED BY A WELL KNOWN FEMALE FIGURE, WHO ALSO ADVOCATED HEAVILY FOR WOMEN’S SUFFRAGE. PROHIBITION WAS REPEALED IN 1933, BUT EVANSTON WAS A DRY COMMUNITY THAT CLUNG DEAR TO CONCEPT OF THE NOBLE EXPERIMENT DECADES AFTER REPEAL.
THESE TWO ICONIC MOMENTS IN TIME AND PLACE, BECAME THE INSPIRATION BEHIND FEW SPIRITS.
PAUL HLETKO, FOUNDER & DISTILLER, SAW THE POWER OF PEOPLE FOLLOWING THEIR DREAMS. HE TURNED HIS SIGHTS TO MAKING SPIRITS. HE RELENTLESSLY PURSUED A NEW STYLE OF URBAN WHISKEY THAT WOULD BE THE EQUAL TO THAT OF HIS FRIENDS IN KENTUCKY. BUT CREATING WHISKEY IN THE SEAT OF PROHIBITION? SEEMED LIKE A GOOD PLACE TO START A BOLD, PARADIGM BREAKING WHISKEY BRAND.
DOWN A DARK BACK ALLEY IN EVANSTON, YOU WILL FIND AN OLD CHOP-SHOP MAKING FLAVORFUL BOURBON & RYE FROM GRAIN-TO-GLASS WITH A BOLD CHICAGO-STYLE TWIST. INNOVATIVE PRODUCTS CONTINUE TO FLOW FROM THE TEAM AT FEW. PROOF, AS EVER, THAT APPEARANCES CAN BE DECEPTIVE.
On February 1, 2022 Heaven Hill Acquired Samson & Surrey, including its portfolio of brands and facilities.
