Whiskey JYPSI announced the release of Tonewood, a limited-edition collaboration with Gibson that reverses a familiar relationship between guitars and whiskey. Guitar makers have used whiskey barrel wood for years. 

With Tonewood, Whiskey JYPSI and Gibson flipped the idea: toasted maple tonewood offcuts from Gibson’s broader guitar-building process, wood already prized for resonance and character, are reimagined for whiskey finishing.

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,” Ari Sussman, Whiskey Maker for Whiskey JYPSI, said in a news release.

Tonewood explores how a single tonewood can shape two distinct whiskey personalities through differences in age, proof, and structure. The release debuts with:

• 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 for a deep, concentrated profile with 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,” Co-Founder Raj Alva said. “Tonewood works because the idea is bold, the materials are real, and the result adds something meaningful to the whiskey.”

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 that has served as Church’s touring companion for the past two years, 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,” Church said. “I’m excited to see what song this collaboration between world-class masters will write.”

Whiskey JYPSI Tonewood: Vol. 1 is bottled at 109 proof (54.5% ABV) and available in an extremely limited direct-to-consumer release for $799, arriving in a custom Gibson case constructed in the spirit of Gibson’s classic hardshell guitar cases, complete with a co-branded Gibson guitar strap featuring a Hummingbird detail unique to the release, and two Whiskey JYPSI glasses.

Tonewood: The Collective is bottled at 103 proof (51.5% ABV) and available direct-to-consumer at a suggested price of $199, before expanding in limited quantities to select retail partners across the U.S., arriving in Hummingbird-inspired packaging built for display or gifting. A portion of proceeds from every bottle will benefit Gibson Gives, Gibson’s philanthropic foundation supporting nonprofits in music education, health and wellness, and community uplift worldwide.

Both releases can be ordered at https://www.whiskeyjypsi.com/pages/gibson.

Read more: Whiskey JYPSI Releases New Expression: The Declaration

About Outsiders Spirits

Outsiders Spirits, LLC, is a purpose-driven incubator for whiskey innovation. The company quickly gained acclaim for its innovative approach, starting in 2023 with its Legacy Series showcasing distinctive reconstructed mash bills. Its adventurous Explorer bourbon and Tribute Double Barreled bourbon have led to significant recognition, with over 15 medals. For more information, visit www.whiskeyjypsi.com.