Welcome back to Whiskey Provisioner! Hosts Richard and So-Han (West China Tea) are joined by guests Amanda Beckwith (Virginia Distillery) and Erin (Few Spirits) for a deep dive into the intersection of tea and whiskey.
Erin brings an incredibly unique bottle: a Few Spirits bourbon collaboration with The Smashing Pumpkins. This whiskey wasn't proofed down with water; it was brought from cask strength to 93 proof using a rose-petal-scented red tea from co-founder Billy Corgan's own tea shop.
To pair with it, So-Han selects a floral Sheng Puerh containing Yunnan rose and chrysanthemum. He explains why he chose to contrast the whiskey with a light, fresh tea rather than match it with a dark one. The pairing is a success, bringing out notes of cherry, vanilla, and a nostalgic "White Rabbit" milk candy flavor.
From Tea Sommelier to Distiller: Erin shares her fascinating origin story, explaining how her formal study as a certified Tea Sommelier led her to see parallels in whiskey tasting. She details her journey into the industry through the American Craft Spirits Association's (ACSA) "Step Up" diversity program, which included training at Westward, Diageo, and more.
The Whiskey: A detailed look at the Few Spirits x Smashing Pumpkins collaboration and the process of steeping 25-pound bags of tea to create the unique proofing liquid.
Distillery Lore: Learn the cheeky origin of the "Few Spirits" name and its direct nod to Frances Elizabeth Willard (F.E.W.), a prominent leader of the Temperance Movement in their hometown of Evanston, Illinois.
Future Experiments: Erin discusses Few's creative spirit, including their experiments with Koji-fermented whiskey.
Whiskey: Few Spirits Smashing Pumpkins Collaboration Bourbon
Tea: Seven Color Flower Sheng Puerh
Join the conversation for one of the nerdiest-ever episodes on flavor, craft, and the surprising parallels between the worlds of tea and whiskey.
⸺ credits ⸺⸺⸺⸺⸺⸺⸺⸺Richard Amiro - host http://richardamiro.comSo-Han Fan - guest https://www.youtube.com/@TeaHouseGhost - https://westchinatea.com/Cory Cranfill - a really helpful guy https://youtube.com/@shedlogic - https://www.righttoolmedia.comGuest - Erin Lee https://www.instagram.com/littlesipper https://www.fewspirits.com/Guest - Amanda Beckwith https://vadistillery.com/ http://instagram.com/vadistillery
