Eric Church’s Whiskey JYPSI taps into its music roots with Tonewood, a limited-edition collaboration with Gibson Guitars.
Many may not know that guitar makers have used whiskey barrel wood for years. With these expressions, the two brands did the reverse, using toasted maple tonewood offcuts from Gibson’s guitar-building process, for whiskey finishing.
“We built the whiskey first, then used the wood to understand what it could become,” says Ari Sussman, Whiskey Maker for Whiskey JYPSI.
Tonewood explores how a single tonewood can shape two distinct whiskey personalities through differences in age, proof, and structure. Tonewood: Vol. 1 (109 proof) is 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. Tonewood: The Collective (103 proof) is a lighter spirit finished with the same Gibson maple offcuts.
Arriving in a custom Gibson case constructed in the spirit of hardshell guitar cases, Tonewood: Vol. 1 comes with a co-branded Gibson guitar strap featuring a Hummingbird detail unique to the release, and two Whiskey JYPSI glasses.
A portion of proceeds from every bottle of Tonewood: The Collective will benefit Gibson Gives, Gibson’s philanthropic foundation supporting nonprofits in music education, health and wellness, and community uplift worldwide.
“Whiskey JYPSI was built to challenge the usual rules of whiskey making, but never just for the sake of being different,” says Whiskey JYPSI 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 release coincides with the debut of Church’s new signature instrument, the Epiphone Inspired by Gibson Eric Church Hummingbird Dark, a signature acoustic-electric guitar finished in a Cobra Burst with a Sitka spruce top and layered mahogany back and sides. The guitar that has served as Church’s touring companion for the past two years is now available worldwide.
“The wood is only wood until it arrives in a master’s hands — that rule applies to distillers, luthiers, and songwriters,” says Eric Church. “I’m excited to see what song this collaboration between world-class masters will write.”
Whiskey JYPSI’s Tonewood: Vol. 1 and Tonewood: The Collective are available now for $199 and $799, respectively.
