Reviewing The Latest Release From Eric Church & Outsiders Spirits

Posted on by Jake Lewellen
Whiskey JYPSI PR packaging

When I think back to my first sip of Whiskey JYPSI Batch 001, I was intrigued by the blend. With the Whiskey JYPSI Explorer Series, I was more excited to see how they would blend and finish these whiskeys and the process they used. I think soaking staves in a vatted blend may be a new trend to stay keen too. Let’s dive into the latest whiskey from Eric Church.

Just the Facts: Whiskey JYPSI Explorer Series

  • Style: Blend of Kentucky Bourbon and Indiana High Rye Bourbon
  • Mashbill: 66% corn, 30% rye, 4% malted barley – Combined mashbills
  • Proof: 103
  • Age: 6 years
  • Price: $69.99

Tasting Notes: Whiskey JYPSI Explorer Series

Nose: Very bright, acidic and fruity nose. There are hints of rye spice, oranges, vanilla, caramel and butterscotch

Palate: Toasted graham cracker and marshmallow, followed by a burst of floral flavor. As I revisited it, about a minute later, maple syrup shined bright. It ends with a touch of white wine and pear.

Finish: Very balanced finish. Lingers both on the front and back of the palate.

Closing Thoughts:

This a really good pour. In fact, I think this rivals Whiskey JYPSI Batch 001. If you are looking to try one of the whiskeys from Outsider Spirits, then you may want to start here. I promise you won’t be disappointed.

Eric Church and Outsiders Spirits Announce Next Release from Whiskey JYPSI

“Wow. Lovely multidimensional and extended finish. Black plum, vanilla bean, cake frosting, graham cracker, and marzipan flavors are bedazzling. Lip-smacking, and plenty of grip in the long finish… I’d hands down give it the FULL MONTY of 5 stars. Again, WOW.”

F. PAUL PACULT, AUTHOR, THE NEW KINDRED SPIRITS

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – April 2, 2024 – From the makers of award-winning Legacy Batch 001, Outsiders Spirits has announced the release of its all-new Whiskey JYPSI Explorer Series. The Explorer Series continues the brand’s focus on sourcing the highest quality whiskeys and ingredients while finishing these spirits with combinations of distinctive and exceptional woods from around the globe. The series features well-aged, mature whiskeys never younger than six years old and ranging between 100-107 proof. 

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. 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.

Outsiders co-founder Raj Alva

Explorer’s inaugural release is a blend of two six-year-old bourbons – a low rye distilled in Kentucky and selected for its sweetness, and an Indiana high rye chosen for its spice. The combined mash bill of 66% corn, 30% rye and 4% malted barley is then slowly reduced to 103 proof and finished using two oak varietals – French Oak (Quercus robur) from France’s famed Forest of Tronçais and American Oak (Quercus alba) from the Appalachian Mountains. Each of these woods was specifically chosen to work in concert with the sweetness and spice of the blend – and both are steeped in rich backstories that connect their origins to the roots of country music. 

This is why I wanted to get into the whiskey business. 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.

Eric Church

Whiskey JYPSI’s Explorer is priced at $69.99 and will be available April 2nd in select liquor stores across Tennessee with more markets to follow and online at www.whiskeyjypsi.com. 

Outsiders Spirits chose oak staves from France’s Forest of Tronçais for the first release of Explorer because of its accentuated notes of spice and leather. The oak trees from this forest have been used to make barrels for centuries and have housed some of the finest Bordeaux wines ever made. The Forest of Tronçais was originally overseen by the Duke of Bourbon (foreshadowing its use in Explorer) and was later planted with oak trees by Louis XIV to supply timber for the French navy. The Tronçais region was also home to early European troubadours whose musical traditions of merging melodies and poetry ultimately migrated to the Appalachian Mountains – which became the heart of America’s singer-songwriter tradition. 

The American Oak staves used in the first Explorer release come from those same Appalachian Mountains, where cooler conditions lead to slower growth and a tighter grain. This results in a specific mix of sweetness, richness, depth, and viscosity the Outsiders team wanted to pair with the spice of the French Oak as a key finishing component in their new release. Explorer’s Appalachian Oak was also harvested near where Outsiders Spirits co-founder Eric Church grew up in North Carolina.

We only want to make incredible whiskey, and do it our way. 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.

Outsiders Spirits whiskey maker Ari Sussman

ABOUT OUTSIDERS SPIRITS

Outsiders Spirits, LLC was founded in 2020 by CMA Entertainer of the Year and 10-time GRAMMY nominee Eric Church and entrepreneur Raj Alva as a purpose-driven incubator for whiskey innovation. The company officially launched its first whiskey release, Whiskey JYPSI Legacy Batch 001, in May 2023. It has since won multiple national and international awards, including the coveted Double Gold Medal from the San Francisco World Spirits Competition, and superlative ratings from the NY International Spirits Competition, the PR%F Awards and the Beverage Testing Institute.

For more information, visit whiskeyjypsi.com and follow @WhiskeyJYPSI on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.  

About Eric Church

A seven-time ACM Award winner, four-time CMA Award winner (including the 2020 award for Entertainer of the Year) and 10-time GRAMMY nominee, Church has amassed a passionate fan base around the globe known as the Church Choir, plus a critically acclaimed catalog of music. Known for his tenacity on the road, his recent The Outsiders Revival Tour earned rave reviews as he brought a rotating lineup of emerging artists along for the first fully-outdoor tour of his career. His prior outing, the 55-city The Gather Again Tour, offered fans an in-the-round arena show and earned the 2022 Billboard Music Award for Top Country Tour. Church is currently working on new music as the follow up to his most recent chart-topping project, the Heart & Soul triple album, which featured the results of a marathon session during which he spent nearly a month writing and recording a song per day while sequestered in rural North Carolina. This followed his Gold-certified Desperate Man, which earned a GRAMMY nomination for Best Country Album (his third nod in the category) and prior releases including the Platinum-certified Sinners Like Me (“How ’Bout You,” “Guys Like Me”), Carolina (“Smoke a Little Smoke,” “Love Your Love the Most”) and Mr. Misunderstood (“Record Year,” “Round Here Buzz”), the Double-Platinum certified The Outsiders (“Like a Wrecking Ball,” “Talladega”) and the 3x Platinum-certified Chief (“Springsteen,” “Drink In My Hand”), as well as 30 Gold, Platinum and multi-Platinum certified songs. Church is also a minority owner of the Charlotte Hornets, a co-owner of the iconic Field & Stream brand, has his own SiriusXM music channel, “Eric Church Outsiders Radio,” and will soon open Chief’s, a six-story venue on Nashville’s famed lower Broadway.

For more information, visit www.ericchurch.com and follow on Facebook and Twitter @ericchurch and Instagram @ericchurchmusic.

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