Few Spirits Smashing Pumpkins Bourbon 750ML is a 93-proof (46.5% ABV), four-year-aged bourbon proofed down with Midnight Rose black tea instead of water. Born from a collaboration between FEW Spirits and the iconic rock band The Smashing Pumpkins, this limited release stands apart through a technique rarely seen in American whiskey — using steeped tea to bring the bourbon from cask strength to bottle proof.Quick Facts: ABV: 46.5% (93 proof) | Origin: Evanston, Illinois, USA | Age: 4 Years | Distillery: FEW SpiritsProduction & HeritageFEW Spirits, founded in 2011 in Evanston, Illinois, operates as one of the first legal distilleries in the city since Prohibition. The bourbon starts with a mashbill of 70% corn, 20% rye, and 10% malted barley, aged four years before being cut from cask strength to 93 proof. What makes this release singular is the proofing liquid: rather than standard water, the distillery uses Midnight Rose black tea sourced from Madame Zuzu's Emporium, the Chicago-area tea shop run by Smashing Pumpkins frontman Billy Corgan and his wife. FEW had previously explored tea-proofing with their 2020 Immortal Rye, which used oolong tea, making this a refined continuation of a highly unconventional technique.Tasting NotesAroma: Rose water and honeydew melon arrive first, layered over a bed of black tea and warm caramel. The nose is richly inviting without being heavy, weaving floral and classic bourbon sweetness together seamlessly.Taste: The entry is smooth and aromatic, with rose water and caramel meeting sandalwood and vanilla at the mid-palate. Delicate hints of lemon peel and sweet orange slice candy emerge as the rye spice builds, balanced by a subtle floral undercurrent that keeps the profile from veering into pure dessert territory.Finish: Long and evocative, with tea-driven rose fading into gentle oak spice and lingering warmth. The black tea tannins provide just enough structure to carry the floral and spice notes out gracefully.How to Drink Smashing Pumpkins BourbonNeat or with a single ice cube is the best way to appreciate the interplay between the tea and bourbon elements; a few drops of water open up the floral aromatics further. For cocktails, consider an Old Fashioned, where the rose and tea notes add an unexpected aromatic layer to the classic formula. A Bourbon Highball with sparkling water lets the black tea tannins and citrus peel character shine in a lighter format. A Paper Plane benefits from the bourbon's sandalwood and floral qualities, complementing the Aperol and amaro bitterness with natural sweetness.Best For Gifting a Smashing Pumpkins fan who also appreciates whiskey Adding a genuinely unusual bottle to a bourbon collection Hosting a tasting night focused on unconventional production methods Pairing with desserts or an after-dinner pour with tea-drinking friends Frequently Asked QuestionsWhat does Smashing Pumpkins Bourbon taste like? It leads with rose water, caramel, and vanilla before developing into sandalwood, lemon peel, and sweet orange candy, with black tea tannins providing structure throughout. The finish is long and floral with gentle oak spice.How does Smashing Pumpkins Bourbon compare to FEW Immortal Rye? Both use tea to proof down from cask strength, but Immortal Rye was made with oolong tea on a rye-based spirit, resulting in a grassier, more herbal profile. The Smashing Pumpkins expression uses Midnight Rose black tea on a corn-heavy bourbon mashbill, which skews sweeter and more floral.Is Smashing Pumpkins Bourbon good for sipping neat? Yes — at 46.5% ABV, it sits at a proof that delivers full flavor without excessive heat, and the tea-proofing creates a smooth, aromatic character best appreciated without dilution.Where is Smashing Pumpkins Bourbon made? It is distilled and aged at FEW Spirits in Evanston, Illinois, a craft distillery located just north of Chicago. The Midnight Rose black tea used in proofing comes from Madame Zuzu's Emporium, also based in the Chicago area.What foods pair well with Smashing Pumpkins Bourbon? Dark chocolate truffles complement the rose and caramel notes. Earl Grey shortbread cookies echo the tea character. Grilled stone fruit like peaches bridges the bourbon sweetness and floral tones. Aged Gouda plays well against the sandalwood and oak spice. Lemon tarts mirror the citrus peel notes on the mid-palate.What sizes does Smashing Pumpkins Bourbon come in? The standard release is a 750ML bottle.Is Smashing Pumpkins Bourbon worth the price? It positions as a limited-release craft bourbon with a genuinely rare production technique — tea-proofing — that goes beyond novelty branding. For collectors and fans of boundary-pushing whiskey, the price reflects both the four-year age statement and the small-batch nature of FEW Spirits' output.Why Smashing Pumpkins Bourbon?The defining detail here is not the celebrity collaboration — it is the production decision to replace water with Midnight Rose black tea during proofing, a technique FEW Spirits has pioneered across only two releases. That choice introduces tannic structure and floral complexity not found in conventionally proofed bourbons at this age and price tier. The four-year age statement on a 70/20/10 mashbill gives the spirit enough oak backbone to stand on its own merits, while the tea integration adds a layer that genuinely changes the drinking experience rather than serving as a marketing footnote. For anyone seeking a bourbon that takes a real creative risk — and lands it — this bottle delivers something the category rarely attempts.
