🎙️ Ep. 128 - Developing Character Through Grain, Wood, and the Art of the Blend with Ari Sussman of WHISKEY JYPSI

Join me for a conversation with whiskey maker Ari Sussman as we dive into the story behind Whiskey JYPSI, co-founded by Raj Alva and singer-songwriter Eric Church, learn about Ari's path into the industry, from politics to winemaking in France, international bartending, and eventually studying at Michigan State University's pioneering distilling program under the late Dr. Kris Berglund. We'll talk about Berglund's quiet influence over the modern craft distilling industry, the Rosen rye project (a historic grain varietal with deep ties to Michigan and MSU), and the philosophy behind Whiskey JYPSI's products, using their Tribute, Explorer, and Legacy whiskeys as examples to illustrate the brand's focus on storytelling through grain, wood augmentation, and innovative blending. Enjoy the return of the long-form interview on Whiskey Lore.

You can listen to 🎙️ Ep. 128 - Developing Character Through Grain, Wood, and the Art of the Blend with Ari Sussman of WHISKEY JYPSI online on Radio and Podcast. Open the player on this page to stream the available audio.

🎙️ Ep. 128 - Developing Character Through Grain, Wood, and the Art of the Blend with Ari Sussman of WHISKEY JYPSI is an episode from Whiskey Lore: Stories by Travel Fuels Life, LLC (dba Whiskey Lore).

This episode is 01:42:49 long.

This episode was published on Mar 9, 2026.

Yes. Use the heart button on the episode page to add it to your favorite episodes list.

Yes. This page shows related episodes from Whiskey Lore: Stories when more episodes are available from the podcast feed.