Whiskey Jypsi Legacy Batch 002 Review

BOTTLE DETAILS

• DISTILLER: Finished, bottled and blended by Whiskey JYPSI in Tennesse. Whiskeys used in the finished product are sourced from Tennessee, Canada, and India (you read that right).
• MASH BILL: A blend of three whiskeys:
  • 60%: 11-year-old Tennessee whiskey (84% Corn | 8% Rye | 8% Malted barley)
  • 36%: 18+ year-old Canadian rye finished in either port, sherry, or vermouth casks (53% Rye | 47% Corn)
  • 4%: 10-year-old Indian single malt (100% Malted Barley)
• AGE: A blend of whiskeys 10-18+ years old
• YEAR: 2024
• PROOF: 114.3
• MSRP: $199.99
• BUY ONLINE: Via brand website

DREW’S NOTES

SHARE WITH: Friends that are skeptical of celebrity whiskey brands and those that appreciate a unique and bold barrel-forward blend.

WORTH THE PRICE: First, props to Eric Church and his Whiskey Jypsi for launching the impressive and affordable Explorer Series earlier this year. It means those interested in the brand can at least kick the tires on it at a more entry-level price point before investing in the luxury Legacy offerings. $200 is still a steep ask, but with Batch 001unlike a lot of things on the market right now. I highly recommend test-driving, the juice was damn near worth the squeeze. The same could be said of this latest release.

BOTTLE, BAR OR BUST: Bar first. You could easily fall in love with this one, but it’s a pretty unique whiskey unlike a lot of things on the market right now. I highly recommend test-driving a pour at a bar before you add it to the collection.

OVERALL: The first Legacy Series release stood out as a rare example of a celebrity brand that was more than marketing and a shiny bottle. It was a well-built blend from head to toe that almost any whiskey fan could appreciate. This latest Jypsi Legacy Series release is equally impressive and will likely find lots of fans. It’s an entirely different animal, however, from Batch 001.

The base is Tennessee whiskey instead of Indiana bourbon, and the Canadian rye component is a higher corn recipe finished in three different types of fortified wine casks. As if that already didn’t make for a complex blend, there’s a top dressing of unusually old Indian single malt. Dubbed “The Alchemist,” it proves maybe even better than Batch 001, the kind of skill blender Ari Sussman is bringing to the table with this brand.

You notice the contrast immediately on the nose, where the foundation of Tennessee whiskey delivers extensive notes of brown sugar, molasses, and peanut butter pie reinforced by a dark, oxidized wine character and a healthy layer of slightly smoky barrel char. Everything comes together with a bit of time to open, settling on notes of toasted marshmallow, toffee, and chocolate-covered cherries.

The palate is a bit bolder and spicier than Batch 001, even though the proof is slightly softer, with early notes of peanut brittle, maple candies, and char that give way on the midpalate to a display of finishing whiskeys: layers of roasted nuts, fig jam, and a gently tart and herbaceous element, likely a product of the vermouth cask. Laced throughout all of that is a concentrated, but somehow minimally astringent, oak character that delivers black licorice, coffee bean, and clove. It’s a flavor roller coaster that eventually finds impressive balance on a long, warm finish highlighted by baking chocolate and orange oil. You can shorten that journey with a few drops of water, but I recommend just buckling up and enjoying the ride. Batch 001 was a droptop cruiser, but this thing is all muscle car.

BRAND NOTES

“The Alchemist” builds on Batch 001’s award-winning approach of cross-category blending to create reconstructed mash bills, with 3 whiskeys – each over 10 years old – from 3 different countries, and the added element of an inspired triple-barrel finish for the rye. All reconstructed into a 114.3 proof high-rye mash bill, the result is pure alchemy indeed.

“We called Whiskey Jypsi’s Legacy 002 ‘The Alchemist,’ because Alchemists took unexpected elements and tried to change them into gold – turn them into something greater,” says Outsiders Spirits whiskey maker Ari Sussman. “That’s the job of a good whiskey blender. You start with high-quality ingredients and hopefully create something that’s even greater – more than just the components.”

60% of the blend is an 11-year-old corn whiskey from Tennessee aged in re-charred American oak barrels for sweetness. With fewer tannins thanks to the re-charring, this whiskey is smoother and rounder than most from Tennessee.

36% of the blend is a Canadian rye aged in ex-bourbon casks for 18 years. The liquid is then segmented into thirds and finished for 6 months in either Port, Spanish vermouth, or sherry barrels for added layers of dark red fruit, raisins, and oxidized wine. The final product is a rye whose spice is brilliantly countered by deep cherry, prune, and fig notes.

The last 4% of the blend is a rare, 10-year-old 100% Indian single malt matured in India’s high temperatures and humidity. This is some of the finest Indian single malt available, with a Double Gold award at the San Francisco International Spirits Competition of its own to prove it.

Disclaimer: Bourbon & Banter received a sample of this product from the brand for review. We appreciate their willingness to allow us to review their products with no strings attached. Thank you.