There
are craft distillers and blenders out there who have truly earned my respect.
They aren’t afraid to do something unordinary. They take risks. They break the rules.
One
such person is a gentleman named Ari
Sussman. When I reviewed Three Chord Honey Toasted Whiskey, Ari was involved. When 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 whiskey maker, 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.
Church
and Raj Alva’s company is called Outsider Spirits.
Whiskey JYPSI commemorates those who aren’t mere followers; they’re
adventure-seekers who do things their way.
Whiskey
JYPSI’s newest release is called Tribute
Double Barrel Bourbon.
“This is a whiskey with a price point and flavor profile that everybody can enjoy, but with the same high-quality approach we’ve taken with our other whiskeys. And, that’s what we were looking for with Tribute.
With Tribute, we’re also honoring and working with small communities and local farmers to make this whiskey… I’m from Appalachia, so I love the small-town and artisanal element. And it’s those points of differentiation that, to me, make a major difference with people who drink whiskey.” – Eric Church, Co-Founder
The
mashbill is undisclosed; however, the Bourbon was aged at least four years in
new, charred oak barrels. From there, Ari took the matured whiskey, proofed it
down, and re-barreled it in new oak barrels for another three to six months.
Tribute
Double Barrel Bourbon is packaged at 43% ABV (86°), and a 750mL comes at a
suggested price of $44.99. It is available in select liquor stores around the
country and its online store.
So,
should you run out and get this Bourbon? The only way to answer that is to
#DrinkCurious, and thankfully, Outsider Spirits has provided me with a sample
in exchange for my no-strings-attached, honest review. Without further ado,
let’s get to it!
Appearance: I
poured this Bourbon into my Glencairn glass to sip neat. It was the color of
raw honey; it formed a bold rim with thick, widely spaced tears.
Nose: Smells
of stewed apples, peaches, vanilla, and caramel permeated my nostrils. When I
inhaled the vapor into my mouth, I found more caramel.
Palate: Tribute’s
texture was creamy and carried plenty of weight. Notes of caramel, vanilla, and
honey were on the front, while tobacco, leather, and corn were on the mid palate.
The back consisted of clove, rye spice, and oak.
Finish: The
finish featured caramel, honey, clove, tobacco, and oak. Oak was the last to
exit the stage. I timed the duration at 1:33, making it medium.
Bottle, Bar, or Bust: For an
86-proofer, Tribute Double Barrel Bourbon possessed an impressive array of
flavor and depth. If you served it to me blind, I would have guessed it was between
94° and 98°. There was a great combination of sweet and savory with this whiskey.
Tribute is an affordable
option with plenty to offer. The team did a great job, and I’m thrilled to
crown it with my Bottle rating. 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 to do so responsibly.
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