‘This Is Why I Wanted to Get Into the Whiskey Business’: Eric Church Unveils 2nd Bourbon Under Whiskey JYPSI Brand

Eric Church’s second bourbon has arrived. (Photo: Whiskey JYPSI)

On Tuesday, Eric Church, the 10-time Grammy-nominated country music artist, announced the second whiskey under his Whiskey JYPSI brand.

Whiskey JYPSI Explorer is a blend of two 6-year-old bourbons: a low-rye Bourbon distilled in Kentucky and a high-rye bourbon made in Indiana.

Bottled at 103 proof, Explorer bears a total mashbill of 66% corn, 30% rye and 4% malted barley.

The release comes from Outsider Spirits, the company Church founded alongside the entrepreneur, Raj Alva.

This is the first release in JYPSI’s Explorer Series, which the brand says will be a collection of whiskeys finished in a combination of “distinctive and exceptional” woods from around the world. Each whiskey in the Explorer Series will be aged at least six years and bottled between 100 to 107 proof.

“This is why I wanted to get into the whiskey business,” Church said in a news release. “It’s a creative process, an adventure, and a story – like music. And you never know where you’re going ‘til you get the song written or the whiskey is made.”

As for the wood used in the first batch of Explorer, the bourbon was finished using staves made of American oak (Quercus alba) sourced from the Appalachian Mountains and French oak (Quercus robur) from the Forest of Tronçais.

According to the brand, these wood varietals were chosen to “work in concert with the sweetness and spice of the blend.” The French oak was chosen for its notes of spice and leather and the American for the sweetness, richness, depth and viscosity it lends to, so says Outsider Spirits.

Per the brand, oak from France’s Forest of Tronçais has been used to make barrels for centuries and are frequently used to age Bordeaux wines. The Appalachian oak, meanwhile, was harvested not far from where Church grew up in North Carolina.

“We only want to make incredible whiskey, and do it our way,” Outsiders Spirits whiskey maker Ari Sussman said. “Part of that is making sure it’s not just a whiskey – it’s a story highlighting the places, cultures and agricultures that are part of our explorations.”

Whiskey JYPSI’s debut expression was priced at $199.99. At $69.99, Explorer is priced more accessibly.

“When we started the company, we had a long-term goal of creating the highest quality whiskeys in the world while having a diversity of products to satisfy the palate of a variety of whiskey drinkers,” Alva said. “Our first launch was an ultra-premium product. This next one is going to be more accessible. It’s unique because it’s going to be finished using woods from across the globe. That’s why we called it Explorer.”

In May of last year, Whiskey JYPSI debuted its first expression, Legacy. Whiskey JYPSI Legacy Batch 001 was a blended whiskey composed of 7- and 8-year-old Indiana bourbon, 20-year-old Canadian rye whisky and 4-year-old Indiana single malt whiskey.

Bottled at 115 proof, it was a tremendously impressive expression — so much so that it was named the Best Celebrity Whiskey of 2023 by Whiskey Raiders.

Tasting Whiskey JYPSI Explorer Bourbon

I had a chance to taste this expression ahead of its release, and I came away thoroughly impressed. Keep your eyes peeled for our official review, which is coming soon, at which point it will join our archive of reviews. In the meantime, here are my initial takeaways:

Nose: Explorer presents relatively muted on the nose; it doesn’t jump out of the glass, but if you give it your time and attention, it will reveal plenty of complexity and character, with notes of cream, blueberry scone, blackberries, espresso, peppermint, cornbread and sizzling bacon. This is a distinctive nose that’s not at all overly sweet.

Taste: This is a splendidly balanced, oak-forward pour. Bold blackberry, cherry and apple lead the way, followed by a punch of rye spice, with nutmeg and cinnamon. A pop of bubblegum soon follows, joined by tasty almond and a kiss of mint. Delectable sweet notes complement a strong oak backbone throughout this pour.

Finish: Explorer finishes long, satisfying and with plenty of oak. Luxardo syrup, apple pie, brown sugar and butter melting on a frying pan.

Overall: Whiskey JYPSI has gone two for two now with impressive releases. Explorer clears the high bar set by the first Legacy batch, particularly when you consider the difference in cost. Whiskey JYPSI Explorer is a stunning bourbon at a killer price point.

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