Our Story
Building Our Own Whiskey Tradition
Whiskey JYPSI wasn’t made to replicate what others had already created. Instead, owners Eric Church and Raj Alva, along with Head Distiller Ari Sussman, set out to blend stories, techniques, and traditions into something new. Hear the story behind the liquid…
Poetry, Science & Rebellion
Making Whiskey
Every whiskey tells a story —
And every decision made in the whiskey making process, from reverse engineering a mash bill to deciding when whiskey is perfectly aged, is about how to tell the best story possible. That’s why we don’t believe in being bound by convention or following a narrow tradition. We make whiskey that tells the complex story of ancient grains, of tradition that spans continents, of craftsmen, farmers, and all those that came before.
Double Barreled Bourbon
Tribute
A supremely balanced bourbon that is the ultimate expression of American whiskey. We start in the fields tended by small, American farmers, growing Cherokee White Eagle corn and other rare, flavorful grains. Then we age for a minimum of four years in new charred American oak. But we don’t stop there. To maximize the flavor extraction, we proof down and then re-barrel the whiskey for an additional 3-6 months in another new American oak barrel.
Straight Bourbon Whiskey
Explorer
This whiskey starts with a blend of two six-year-old bourbons. Each chosen for their singular attributes as well as their ability to harmoniously play together. Then we truly explore how to elevate whiskey through wood. We travel to France’s famed Forest of Tronçais for their Oak barrels. Then we add in a touch of home: American Oak staves from the Appalachian Mountains.
Limited Release Series
Legacy
Our Legacy Series is a testament to true innovation. We start with a mashbill in mind and then search the globe for well-aged whiskeys that complete our vision. Blending this way allows us to select from a wider portfolio of international whiskeys and ensure that each whiskey is at the exact right age and flavor profile to elevate one another. No two releases are the same and you never know what’s coming next.
Barrel Seekers & Finish Seekers
Limited Releases
Our Limited Series is driven by curiosity and defined by discovery. Barrel Seekers and Finish Seekers represent two paths in the same pursuit of exploring every corner of whiskey tradition to create something entirely new.
Poets & Pioneers
Behind the whiskey are the creatives, the boundary pushers, and wild dreamers that turn their vision into reality.
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Eric Church Co-founder
Like so many before him, Eric Church felt a pull to Nashville, showing up with a guitar and a dream he was determined to see realized. As a songwriter he believed Broadway was going to be his next home, launching him to arena shows, but those stages didn’t want to hear from this new artist. This rejection led him to Printer’s Alley where he would grow and improve his craft of songwriting from the other storytellers around him. Eric’s passion and perseverance eventually got him signed but it was the fuel from that rejection that made him fight and work hard to get him where he needed to be. In his songs, that same unwillingness to conform to industry norms, conventions or expectations shines through. He weaves his way through various genres from rock and blues to country and soul in the creation of his songs. All with lyrics that stand alone as poetic statements of Eric’s heart, soul and life experience. And he wanted to create a whiskey to match.
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Raj Alva Co-Founder
Raj Alva's story begins in Mangalore, India, where his family's journey to Saginaw, Michigan instilled in him a truth he never forgot: that unrelenting hard work can change the course of a life, open doors for those around you, and create something worth passing on. He carried that lesson into everything he built. Over the years, Raj became a seasoned force in finance, investment, and business — but his greatest venture was still ahead. When his path crossed with Eric Church's, the connection was immediate. A shared love of whiskey, a drive to push boundaries, and a hunger to create something truly exceptional brought them together. Whiskey JYPSI was the result.
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Ari Sussman Head Distiller
Ari Sussman has never taken the expected path, which made him the exact right man for the job. Before finding his calling in whiskey, Ari made wine in France, bartended across multiple continents, worked with seed banks to revive historic grain varietals, and lived among Bedouin tribes in the Middle East raising ostriches and almonds. When he finally turned his full attention to distilling, the world took notice. He became head of Spirits Development for Michigan State's Artisan Distilling Program and earned recognition as an award-winning whiskey maker. Bold, inventive, and endlessly curious, Ari brings a mad scientist's mind and a true JYPSI spirit to every drop he creates. There was simply no one else for Whiskey JYPSI.
