Authenticity is a powerful force that motivates people to create something exceptional that is in alignment with their core beliefs and values. In the world of whiskey, it’s not something you can see or feel, but it is something that you will taste with every drop. Whiskey Jypsi has set a high standard and is following through on a rapidly evolving and expanding scale. There is no substitute for passion and quality, and these are the core values that live at the heart of the brand.
Raj Alva is one of the three people who are the driving forces for the brand. The gravity of his presence is palpable, after all, Raj is a pioneering entrepreneur in the business world who has achieved an admirable level of success. He exudes a curious nature that is unquenchable, and this is fortified with his laser-like focus.
Enter Eric Church, a singer-songwriter that defies categorization. The experiences of his life pour from his heart and soul to create poetic musicscapes that have captivated global audiences. On stage in front of his fans, he’s a force to be reckoned with at the intersection of creativity, talent, and inspiration.
The final piece of the puzzle is enlightened whiskey wizard Ari Sussman. His superpower is the uncanny ability to create whiskey with captivating flavor profiles. He is well educated in the history of whiskey, and he’s built an impressive resume of exciting products. There’s no other whiskey maker who would have the ability to bring the lofty expectations of Raj and Eric to life.
These three whiskey enthusiasts have come together to bring something exceptional to the world of whiskey. Part poet, a dash of shrewd business, and a dose of whiskey wizardry have come together at Whiskey Jypsi. This isn’t an overnight success story, rather this is an emerging legend on whiskey landscape.
Raj Alva was kind enough to sit with us and talk about his own personal whiskey journey. We also delve into the genesis of the brand and how three unlikely partners have captured lightning in a bottle.
A great place to start with any whiskey enthusiast is to understand their early memories of whiskey. For Raj, this goes back to his youth in India. His uncle was the CEO of Bombay Dyeing, the largest textile company in India at the time, and was fortunate enough to be able to travel the world. While whiskey was popular in India, his uncle was able to expand his horizons abroad. Of course, Johnnie Walker and Chivas being popular brands at the time were brands that stuck out in his mind.
Like many, Raj got his first taste of whiskey as a child and that always served as a warning and lesson learned from the adults. While it worked, it stuck with him that his uncle was fond of it and enjoyed it. By the time Raj got into grad school, he was on his own journey with whiskey. What started with Islay whisky sparked curiosity and learning. Then, everything changed when he discovered bourbon.
When it comes to bourbon, it’s easy to say that caramel, vanilla, and oak are why you enjoy it. Not to mention that the corn in the mashbill lends an important component of sweetness in the flavor profile. It’s not just that, it’s about the ability to create complexity in the product. When it comes down to it, Raj appreciates the ability to use more levers to derive additional flavors like fruits, spices, and/or leather. He said, “It’s hard to picture what leather tastes like, but it’s that smoky component that can emerge. You know what I’m saying?”
None of this is meant to slight those who do enjoy the world of single malt scotch. In fact, one of the Whiskey Jypsi expressions contains a 10-year-old Indian single malt in the blend. Along with that, there are two six-year-old bourbons paired with a low-rye (from Kentucky) to add sweetness. From there, they double down on the spice by finishing it in French oak and in Appalachian oak. The latter has a tighter grain, so it smooths it out and enhances the sweetness. Raj explains, “There is this neat profile of caramel and fruit tones against this wonderful single malt profile. This is what I love about the complexity in bourbon.”
To say he’s proud of Whiskey Jypsi is an understatement. This tour de force is a master class in how good whiskey can go from an idea to execution. Their expression Explorer sits front and center on the bar in his home. With gratitude he recalls the journey, “We probably went back and forth around 30-40 times and kept tweaking the blend until we had the right balance of the fruit, spice, sweetness, earthiness, and oak. It had to be balanced so the finish wasn’t too harsh, and it was smooth on the palate. This is why it’s the number one bottle on my bar. It won Double Gold at the World Spirits Competition and we’re proud of that.” Out of the gate, this is no small feat for a whiskey brand, the kudos and recognition are well earned.
The hallmark of any great whiskey is being able to share a memorable story that brings enthusiasts together. The genesis of the brand is one of those stories; just how did the poet, the businessman, and the whiskey wizard come together? It all starts on a golf trip, where days on the links gave way to sharing whiskey and a chat most evenings.
Raj tells the story, “Eric (Church) and I met on a multi-day golf trip where I was paired with him. I didn’t listen to country music, so I did not know who he was. Though, everyone else was aware of who he was. I do remember that he was late every morning, but he did show up with a couple of beers for us as we were teeing off. That’s when I knew he was a good person. Every night, we’d sit around and catch up on life while drinking whiskey. Of course, we’d end up talking about all the different whiskeys we were drinking.
“I finally realized just how big of a star he is, but we had become friends at that point. I asked him what he was doing in the whiskey space, and he mentioned his deal with Jack Daniels. His name was the second one to appear on a bottle after Frank Sinatra. He walked me through the entire process, and I was fascinated. At that point, I asked him if he’d ever considered doing his own thing. He mentioned that Kenny Chesney and George Strait had both told him that he should be doing that because he enjoyed the process so much.
“That’s when I gave my friend Joe Magliocco (Michter’s Distillery) a call. We spoke for an hour and that was enough to get things rolling. One thing led to another and that’s how we started the company: three days of playing golf, drinking whiskey and talking about the products we liked.”
First, it’s an extraordinary experience to be coincidentally paired with someone with the stature of Eric Church, much less sharing a morning beer with him at tee time. Second, there’s also a certain place you need to be to have someone like Joe Magliocco on speed dial for consulting purposes. Notwithstanding these tremendously fortuitous meetings, there was still a bit of hard work needed to take this from idea to a tasty reality.
Raj was initially reluctant to participate. While he’d started and invested in a lot of companies, he quickly understood that there was a lot to learn to feel comfortable jumping in. It was a mutual friend between him and Eric that was the catalyst. He tells his side of the story, “A mutual friend between Eric and I kept asking me if I’d called him back yet about it, because he was interested. We finally got together on the phone, and it took another six-to- months to get where we agreed to go down the path. About three months into that process, Eric got really upset and asked me what was taking so long. Whiskey is far more complex than I ever realized, where it’s not just making something and pushing it out. There are entire processes around inventory selection, distilling the product, and then blending.”
Here’s where the heart and soul of the Whiskey Jypsi brand beats strong and clear. Authenticity is a part of everything they do. They were adamant to not make another product that is a collaboration in name only. This was the genesis of something well thought out, made with quality, and delivered with care…from the ground up.
Raj continues, “Eric and I conclusively agreed on one thing; we did not want this to be another celebrity product with a label slapped on a bottle and then selling it. This was about the pride we can take in the product we are selling. I have another company that makes apparel and it’s always a great thing when people say how amazing the product is. I wanted the same thing for the whiskey company.
“We wanted to make sure that people were talking about how amazing this whiskey is. The reviews so far are great, and they don’t talk about this being a celebrity whiskey at all. I don’t know why anyone would use that label because this stands on its own. That was our goal, and we’ve stuck to it.”
In fact, none of their names appear on the bottle itself. This is by design, but there is an ode to Eric engraved on the cap of the bottle. The words “There’s a little Jypsi in all of us,” are there to remind us their core beliefs and values fueled the process, and it stands strong on its own. Raj beams with pride as he said, “This has been a team effort. Eric and I have this right brain/left brain thing going. He and Ari (Sussman) are creative people. I can be creative when I need to, but I can also put the business hat on. We’ve all got these incredible skills we bring to the table, but when it comes time to create the product, we are all in the room. With the tasting process, we are all giving feedback and using the combination of skills and hard work to get things done.”
When asked about this process, Eric Church confidently states, “Whiskey Jypsi celebrates doing things the unconventional way. It’s the commitment to the creative spirit, the process, and the journey that excited me the most. It’s meant to inspire others to take chances like we have – follow a different path and enjoy and experience life at its fullest.”
The choice to have Ari Sussman as the blender to make this whiskey was a natural and easy choice. His reputation speaks for itself through the amazing number of whiskeys that he’s brought into the marketplace. In fact, there were about six months of iterations and tasting that took place. They knew early on that their palates differed, but took an approach to have an open mind about where the journey took them. After a year of trials, they arrived at what they felt was the profile that validated their efforts. Raj recalls his memories of the process, “It was close to a year of testing things, and we went through some crazy iterations. We know this product is going to appeal to a lot of people. When I think back to this first one, though… it was a tough one.” Continuing, he recalls the process leading up to the discovery of ‘the one’ that they knew would be their choice, “I still remember that moment because Ari would send us samples and label them A, B, and C and not tell us what was in it. It was iteration after iteration, and we were slowly moving in the right direction of the flavor profile. There was one final batch, and we all agreed that it was ‘the one.’ That’s what ended up going to the World Spirits Competition and winning Double Gold.”
Ari Sussman also had the following to add, “Raj is an exceptional CEO for many reasons, not least of which is his ability to balance exploring the creative boundaries of whiskey making with a firm commitment to the highest standards of quality. He’s involved in every aspect of our whiskey making process — from searching for unique whiskeys and woods from around the world, to evaluating prototypes, and suggesting modifications.
“An added advantage is Raj’s refined palate and extensive experience with some of the world’s finest whiskies. His insights have, on occasion, proved more attuned to our target customers’ preferences than feedback from tasting panels, leading to notably improved results. It’s rare for a CEO in the spirits industry to be as actively involved in whiskey development, but Raj’s hands-on approach is reflected in the character of the final product.” In alignment with his own skill set, this spot-on analysis of Raj from the inside illustrates the incredible level of collaboration between them.
Their deliberate efforts continue as they consider what is next for the brand. The lineup features the Explorer ($70) and Legacy ($200) expressions for whiskey enthusiasts to explore. Raj and the team are intent on growing the brand with care, and there is an additional expression being planned to land in the $40 range as a nod to accessibility for those wanting to get into whiskey or the brand. For now, the brand has direct distribution in Colorado, North Carolina, Florida, Georgia, and Tennessee. In addition, you can visit their store on Mash Networks with consumer direct shipping where allowed. While growth is on their mind, they want to go deep into the states they are in first and then expand in a sensible way. Raj gives us the following road map, “We have another three or four states that we’re in the process of adding right now, but I don’t want to go to 20 states the first two years of our products. So, we will continue to add states as we go. We’ll probably go to the west coast, and we’re talking to some distributors now. We’re trying to go slow and deep.”
Finally, there is an additional component about the brand that reflects their core values. They are active with many charitable causes. Reflecting back on his own experiences, Raj gives us a powerful story from his youth, “As an immigrant, I moved here from India with nothing. My dad had $1,000 in his pocket when we arrived. With that in mind, I work with a lot of children’s charities. Eric does a lot of work with his chosen causes, as well. On top of that, we are looking to magnify stories of people who’ve taken some risks and done some inspiring things. Our brand is all about taking risks and doing things our own way. This will reflect in what we are doing in the communities around us.” Their authenticity is admirable, but the weight of giving back to the community is something that puts them well over the top.
As with most interviews, Whiskey Network asks the same five questions to our guests. This is otherwise known as The Mashbill: Whiskey Network Wants to Know Your Recipe. Guests are encouraged to have fun with it and not take it too seriously. Raj was a good sport and played along with us. Ready? Here goes!
What was the last whiskey, bourbon, or scotch in your glass?
It was Whiskey Jyspi Explorer.
Do you prefer to drink your whiskey out of a specific type of glass?
I like a lowball glass with a large cube or sphere of ice. I find that it is the easiest way for me to get everything on the nose and take those measured sips.
Do you have a unicorn bottle?
Yes, it was recently gifted to me: Michter’s Celebration. I have not opened it, in fact I’m scared to open it. I’m not sure I know what to do with it, yet. I haven’t even opened it all the way yet, it’s sitting securely in my wine cellar.
This is a hypothetical question: I’m looking for a gift for a friend and the budget is $50-$75. What would you suggest?
Whiskey Jypsi Explorer. In terms of variety and depth in the profile, this would be a fairly unique bottle to give.
What is your favorite toast?
I like to bring friends together and cook for them in the summer. These have been meals for 20-plus people with everything from prime rib, Indian food, and so on. I try to bring very different people together and my guests come from all walks of life. It’s all about having friends.
My first is meant to celebrate those people: “To the nights we might not always remember, with the friends we will never forget.”
I have another one which is: “May you always be the person your dog thinks you are.”
Without a doubt, Raj Alva is a fascinating whiskey enthusiast. Working with Eric Church and Ari Sussman to steward the Whiskey Jypsi brand, they are carefully growing this fledgling brand into legendary status. From an idea on the golf course, to a final product after a year of testing… there is hard work invested in every aspect of the product. With every drop of their available expressions, there is authenticity you can taste. There are no shortcuts, or empty promises… it’s just the desire to provide great whiskey.
So far, mission accomplished. If you haven’t experienced Whiskey Jypsi, you can explore more here. Also, you can learn where to purchase here. You can also get more information about purchasing direct here.
Whatever happens next, you can bet that it’s going to reflect the poet, the shrewd businessman, and the whiskey wizard. Passion and quality brought them together and continues to lead them forward into bold new whiskey horizons.
