Whiskey JYPSI Legacy Vol. 001 Review & Tasting Notes

 

There are craft distillers out there who have truly earned my respect. They aren’t afraid to do something unordinary. They take risks. They break rules.

 

One such person is a gentleman named Ari Sussman. Recently, I reviewed Three Chord Honey Toasted Whiskey. Ari was the man behind that. Last November, I reviewed Mammoth Distilling’s Northern Rye No. 1, which happened to take my 2022 American Rye of the Year. Ari was the man behind that.

 

When I learned that Eric Church – yes, that Eric Church, wanted to launch a whiskey, and he chose Ari as his distiller, all of my usual concerns about celebrity whiskeys vanished. That’s not to say that I’m giving it a free pass, but I’m also not going into this worried.

 

“The man in the red leather chair, whose career has included winemaking in France, bartending on multiple continents and working with seed banks to revive historic grain varietals for whiskey making, had been listening to a cross-section of music from Eric Church for nearly four hours with his headphones on. Based on the assignment, it seemed like a natural place to start. After all, the co-founders of the whiskey company were Eric Church and his friend and business partner, Raj Alva.

 

And that assignment? Break the rules. Don’t follow anyone else’s idea of how it should be done. Just make the finest quality whiskey possible, be creative, and have fun.” – Whiskey JYPSI

 

Church and Alva’s company is called Outsider Spirits, and its first release, Legacy Batch 001, launched only two weeks ago. The name, Whiskey JYPSI, commemorates those who aren’t mere followers; they’re adventure-seekers and do things their own way.

 

There are three components to this experiment:

• The majority, a full 70%, is Bourbon from MGP utilizing a 99% corn/1% malted barley mash aged 7 and 8 years.
• Next is Canadian whisky from (presumably) Alberta Distillers. The Rye comes from 91% rye and 9% malted barley, aged 20 years, and is 21% of the blend.
• The final 9% is again from MGP, an American Single Malt that rested four years in new, American oak.

 

The blend winds up weighing in at 57.5% ABV (115°). I’m excited to taste this, but before I do, I must thank Whiskey JYPSI for providing me with a sample in exchange for my no-strings-attached, honest review. On a side note, the presentation was cleverly disguised in a book. Now, let’s #DrinkCurious.

 

 

Appearance: I sipped this whiskey (I don’t even know how to classify it) neat in my Glencairn glass. It was a rich caramel amber that formed a syrupy curtain of tears.

 

Nose: I allowed this whiskey to sit for about 15 minutes before exploring further. As I did, I could smell the aroma, which immediately reminded me of Werther’s Originals candy. Floral rye and roasted almonds were hidden beneath. When I drew that air through my lips, butterscotch crossed my tongue.

 

Palate: The mouthfeel was oily, and the initial sip didn’t conceal its proof. The second one went down easier and allowed me to identify flavors. The front was nutty with corn, hazelnut, and almond, and the middle offered caramel, rye spice, and vanilla. The back featured clove, cinnamon, and deep, charred oak.

 

Finish: Whiskey JYPSI has one of those slow, rolling finishes that starts playfully, then continues to build into a massive crescendo of cinnamon Red Hots, charred oak, hazelnut, almond, and clove.

 

Bottle, Bar, or Bust:  You may have noticed that, until now, I’ve not mentioned the price or where it can be purchased. It is available in “limited quantities” on ReserveBar.com and in select Tennessee package shops for $199.99.

 

I found Whiskey JYPSI to be a delicious blend; it is another winner from Ari Sussman. I would buy this all day long… at about half its listed price. If you’ve got a couple of Benjamins burning a hole in your pocket, this would be a tasty way to spend them. But I’d instead grab a pour at a Bar first. Cheers!

 

My Simple, Easy-to-Understand Rating System

• Bottle = Buy It
• Bar = Try It
• Bust = Leave It

 

Whiskeyfellow encourages you to enjoy your whiskey as you see fit but begs you do so responsibly.