Welcome to our Happy Hour Question & Answer series, where we ask questions to interesting people in the alcohol world.

This week’s spotlight is on Whiskey Jypsi and Ari Sussman. Whiskey Jypsi comes from Outsiders Spirits co-founders Eric Church and entrepreneur Raj Alva. As serious whiskey enthusiasts but not yet experts in making it, Outsiders sought the help of experienced masters in the art and science of the spirit who could reimagine the traditional whiskey industry conventions – and bring a series of rich, complex blends of whiskey and bourbon to life in a variety of releases over time. After meetings with various master distillers and blenders, they chose Ari Sussman for their first release.

Hops & Spirits: How did you get into the spirits/alcohol industry?
Ari Sussman: I had an uninspiring desk job in my mid-20s and realized I wasn’t particularly happy. So I quit the job and moved to rural France, where I was hired as a day laborer at a vineyard and winery. Pruning vines and working the harvest were my first jobs in the alcohol industry. When I returned to the US, I trained bartenders and developed wine and cocktail programs for bars and restaurants. A few years later, Michigan State University started the first distilled spirits training program in the US, and I was hired to manage the distillery and work with start-up distilleries to develop products. 

HS: Before getting into the whiskey world, were you in the wine world?
AS: I love wine and wine culture, and believe the spirits industry can benefit by learning about wine production and styles. I’ve been fortunate to spend time making, selling and teaching about wine. Each experience complements the other.

HS: I also read you grew almonds with the Bedouin tribes and lived in an Israeli kibbutz?
AS: After high school, I moved to Israel and lived on a sort of socialist commune. One of my jobs involved working at an experimental orchard that used desalinated water from deep desert aquifers to support agriculture in dry environments. There was a diverse group of co-laborers, including from the local Bedouin community.

HS: And to round out that wild spirit, you raised ostriches?
AS: The kibbutz raised ostriches, primarily for their eggs, which are delicious and sought after by certain types of artists. Baby ostriches are adorable and sweet, but I do not recommend working with adult ostriches in any capacity if it can be avoided.

HS: What was it though that drew you into the whiskey world where you’ve created award winning whiskies?
AS: While developing cocktail menus, I visited the Jan Longone Culinary Collection, which includes several early cocktail recipe books. Some of the recipes called for spirits that were not available or, in some cases, had not been produced for nearly a century. I reached out to the late, great distillation professor Dr. Kris Berglund at Michigan State University to discuss bringing some of those spirits back to market. Dr. Berglund was generous enough to work with me to do just that. 

HS: How did you get involved with Outsiders Spirits and Whiskey Jypsi?
AS: If you’re lucky, you’ll be offered an opportunity to do exciting work with good people. Eric and Raj were interested in producing a range of spirits that were innovative and tell stories. They were interested in creating a library of whiskies and offered the freedom to be creative with blends and barrel finishes.

HS: What’s it like working with co-founders Eric Church and Raj Alva?
AS: It’s an honor and a privilege to work with founders that embrace and encourage risk-taking, creativity, high standards and other values that are too frequently in short supply. In addition, they assembled a team of talented professionals – from operations to marketing – that embrace and embody these values.

HS: What can folks expect from the first Whiskey Jypsi release?
AS: Whiskey Jyspi Legacy 001 is a category-defying blend of whiskies. The goal was to express balance between the character of 3 well-aged, grain-forward spirits and oak. We blended 99% corn bourbon, Canadian Rye and American Single Malt in the proportions of a 21% bourbon mash bill to give the spirit the form of a bourbon, but with a unique character.

HS: What will future releases look like?
AS: Future Legacy releases will continue to explore the idea of cross-category whiskey blends, featuring some of the finest aged spirits from around the world. Other releases will offer unique approaches to everyday drinking whiskies. Innovation, quality and fun are the main drivers of Whiskey Jypsi.