When I saw a display of this at a local food store, I eagerly snatched a bottle. The newest release from the Buffalo Trace Distillery, Traveller Whiskey is produced in collaboration with entertainer Chris Stapleton.
Collaboration is Key
Traveller Whiskey brings together music entertainer Chris Stapleton and Buffalo Trace’s Master Distiller Harlen Wheatley to create a new whiskey from the Trace. Stapleton, a native of nearby Lexington, Kentucky, together with Wheatley, sampled more than 50 different blends before selecting Blend No. 40 as the best.
The website shares that this whiskey is Easy to Drink, Hard Not to Love. music entertainer Chris Stapleton. Further, we’re told to expect complex aromas of vanilla, aged fruit and buttery shortbread rounded off by caramel and a touch of oak. The palate has just a touch of sweetness, followed by spice, toasted nut and oak flavors with a robust finish.
The Tasting
Like all whiskeys produced at the Buffalo Trace Distillery (and its affiliate Barton), the mash bill and blend of whiskeys is undisclosed - so we have no idea whether bourbons, rye whiskey, Canadian whiskey, and so on are used in the ultimate finished product. It is bottled at 90 proof.
The presentation looks simple: a rounded shouldered bottle with a band announcing the name and that this is Blend No 40. The back of the bottle shares the story of how the various blends of whiskeys were sampled and the one selected was No. 40. Further examination shows a woodcut map drawing visible from the bottle’s front (thus the reverse of the back label).
Eye: Golden honey.
Nose: The nose is straightforward and subdued, with vanilla, wood, stone fruits, and spice.
Palate: Subdued and simple - almost “watered down”. The notes here are very light and continue with sweet vanilla and wood. At this stage, it tastes more like a whiskey that I’ve let the ice ball melt in and watered it completely down.
Finish: Medium with vanilla, nutmeg, and dry oak char.
Overall: Priced between $35 and $40, leaves me a little wanting. While it’s a smooth sipper, it's unremarkable. I’d have loved more disclosure on the blends of whiskeys used from the various Sazerac distilleries to arrive at the finished product. To that end, I appreciate firms, like Bardstown Bourbon Company with the disclosure of whiskeys used to produce some of their products, such as the Fusion Series. Further, at this price point, there are a host of better products available, with more transparency, including Knob Creek, Wild Turkey 101, Woodford Reserve, and so on.
If you’re a fan of Chris Stapleton, this is probably a bottle to grab. If you’re not, or you’re a fan of Buffalo Trace or other similar bourbons, this is probably one to pass on.