Nashville, TN — July 8, 2026 — Whiskey JYPSI has launched Tonewood, a limited-edition collaboration with Gibson that flips a familiar relationship between guitars and whiskey. Guitar makers have used whiskey barrel wood for years — with Tonewood, Whiskey JYPSI and Gibson reversed the idea, finishing whiskey in toasted maple tonewood offcuts pulled from Gibson’s guitar-building process.
The release arrives alongside the debut of Eric Church’s new signature instrument, the Epiphone Inspired by Gibson Eric Church Hummingbird™ Dark, bringing the collaboration full circle across sound, wood, craft and whiskey.
“We built the whiskey first, then used the wood to understand what it could become,” said Ari Sussman, Whiskey Maker for Whiskey JYPSI.
Two Expressions, One Tonewood
Tonewood explores how a single tonewood can shape two distinct whiskey personalities through differences in age, proof and structure.
Tonewood: Vol. 1 (109 proof / 54.5% ABV) — Built from older whiskey stocks, including 20-year-old straight bourbon and 14-year-old whiskey from a bourbon mash bill, then finished with toasted Gibson maple offcuts. Expect a deep, concentrated profile of mature oak, vanilla, warm baking spice, honey, polished hardwood, caramelized sugar, roasted nuts and a long, structured finish.
Tonewood: The Collective (103 proof / 51.5% ABV) — A lighter, more lifted expression finished with the same Gibson maple offcuts, offering vanilla, graham cracker, light caramel, toasted grain and a clean finish that fades to gentle smoke.
“Whiskey JYPSI was built to challenge the usual rules of whiskey making, but never just for the sake of being different,” said Co-Founder Raj Alva. “Tonewood works because the idea is bold, the materials are real, and the result adds something meaningful to the whiskey.”
The Guitar Behind the Collaboration
Tonewood also marks the celebratory unveiling of Church’s new Epiphone Inspired by Gibson Eric Church Hummingbird™ Dark — a signature acoustic-electric guitar finished in a moody Cobra Burst, with a solid Sitka spruce top and layered mahogany back and sides. The guitar has served as Church’s touring companion for the past two years and is now available worldwide through authorized Epiphone dealers, Gibson Garage locations, and at www.epiphone.com.
“The wood is only wood until it arrives in a master’s hands — that rule applies to distillers, luthiers, and songwriters,” said Church. “I’m excited to see what song this collaboration between world-class masters will write.”
Price & Availability
Tonewood: Vol. 1
- Price: $799
- Proof: 109 proof (54.5% ABV)
- Availability: Extremely limited, direct-to-consumer only
- Packaging: Custom Gibson case built in the spirit of Gibson’s classic hardshell guitar cases, with a co-branded Gibson guitar strap featuring a Hummingbird detail unique to the release, plus two Whiskey JYPSI glasses
Tonewood: The Collective
- Price: $199 SRP
- Proof: 103 proof (51.5% ABV)
- Availability: Direct-to-consumer now, expanding to select U.S. retail partners in limited quantities
- Packaging: Hummingbird-inspired packaging built for display or gifting
A portion of proceeds from every bottle benefits Gibson Gives, Gibson’s philanthropic foundation supporting nonprofits in music education, health and wellness, and community uplift worldwide.
Both releases can be ordered at whiskeyjypsi.com/pages/gibson.
About Outsiders Spirits
Outsiders Spirits, LLC is a purpose-driven incubator for whiskey innovation. The company gained acclaim starting in 2023 with its Legacy Series, showcasing distinctive reconstructed mash bills. Its Explorer bourbon and Tribute Double Barreled bourbon have earned over 20 medals, including a Platinum Award for “World’s Best Blended Whiskey” and multiple Double Gold medals, while Whiskey JYPSI Legacy 003, The Declaration earned a platinum award in the Ascot competition. Co-founded by music artist Eric Church and entrepreneur Raj Alva, the company has secured distribution in 18 markets.
About Gibson
Gibson is the world’s most iconic guitar brand, founded in 1902 and rooted in a legacy of innovation, craftsmanship and creativity across genres and generations. Gibson’s family of brands includes Epiphone, Kramer, MESA/Boogie, KRK and Maestro. Through Gibson Gives, the company supports nonprofits across music education, health and wellness, and community uplift worldwide.
Learn more at whiskeyjypsi.com and follow @WhiskeyJYPSI on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. For more on the Epiphone Inspired by Gibson Eric Church Hummingbird Dark, visit Epiphone.com.
Reported by Bourbon Lens News, your source for the latest whiskey releases, distillery news and spirits culture.
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