Chris Stapleton and Buffalo Trace Distillery Unveil New Traveller Whiskey

Posted on by Scott Dilley

Traveller Whiskey is first-of-its-kind collaboration for Buffalo Trace Distillery and the result of meticulous craftsmanship.

Months after TTB approval labels were discovered online and Buffalo Trace Distillery confirming the project, bottles of Traveller Whiskey have started to hit store shelves across the United States. As anyone who follows the whiskey world knows, products originating from Buffalo Trace often find themselves garnering big hype and subject to frenzy-like buying. However, it seems that Buffalo Trace has positioned this whiskey as an everyday bourbon and priced it affordably at $40. What remains to be seen is how the (secondary) market will react; we can only hope for rationality.

Fast Facts About Traveller Whiskey:

  • Style: Blended Whiskey
  • Mashbill: Undisclosed 
  • Age: Undisclosed
  • Proof: 90 (45% ABV)
  • Distilled by: Multiple Sazerac Company Distilleries
  • Blended by Buffalo Trace Distillery
  • Price: $39.99
  • Availability: Available now Nationwide, United States.


Details from the Press Release:

Buffalo Trace Distillery’s Master Distiller Harlen Wheatley and Grammy-winning singer, songwriter and musician Chris Stapleton today unveiled Traveller Whiskey, a new, premium blended whiskey that represents a first-of-its-kind collaboration of collective artistry. Proudly blended and bottled at the World’s Most Award-Winning Distillery under Wheatley’s expert supervision, Traveller is the result of countless hours of testing, tasting and dedication to craftsmanship that have produced powerful songs and world-class whiskeys.

Partnering with Buffalo Trace Distillery and Harlen Wheatley feels like a bucket list scenario for me. Some things just make total sense – and this is definitely one of those things. Bottles from barrels that Harlen has cared for have been with us for every note we’ve ever recorded, backstage before shows and in all the moments we’ve celebrated along the way. I believe what we’ve achieved with Traveller Whiskey not only represents our shared history but also a common artistic vision and uncompromising standards of taste. I couldn’t be prouder of what we’ve made.

Chris Stapleton

Bottled at 90 proof, Traveller Whiskey is characterized by notes of oak, sweet maple, tart currant and leather. Complex aromas of vanilla, aged fruit and buttery shortbread are rounded off by caramel and a touch of oak. The flavor profile also showcases a touch of sweetness, followed by spice, toasted nut and oak flavors, closing with a robust finish. Traveller is a completely unique combination of whiskeys hand-selected from The Sazerac Company’s award-winning distilleries. 

When making art – and we really do think that both Chris’ music and the whiskey we make at Buffalo Trace is art – you experiment, test, adjust, and don’t give up until you’ve got it right. That’s why we experimented with more than 50 blends before agreeing that Blend No. 40 would be it for Traveller.

Harlan Wheatley

Born in Lexington, KY, just down the road from Buffalo Trace Distillery, Stapleton’s relationship with Buffalo Trace matured while he recorded his first studio album, Traveller. It was during those recording sessions that he was first introduced to E.H. Taylor, one of the Distillery’s other whiskey offerings, which soon became a staple on his home bar. Since then, Buffalo Trace has collaborated with Chris and Morgane Stapleton’s charitable fund, Outlaw State of Kind, for multiple fundraising initiatives.

This is a whiskey for everyone, whether you’ve been enjoying all the variety in the category for years or are just now discovering it. Traveller stands up on its own as a smooth and sippable whiskey or works great in a cocktail, if that’s more your style. But especially if you’ve tried whiskey before and been turned away by the burn – we think you’ll take one sip of this and think to yourself, “OK, now this I can do.”

Harlan Wheatley

Traveller Whiskey has been widely released to retailers, bars and restaurants nationwide as of January 1, 2024 at a suggested retail price of $39.99 (local taxes and fees will vary).

To learn more, visit www.travellerwhiskey.com.

Listen to Bourbon Lens on your favorite podcast app or stream on Spotify. If you’d like to support Bourbon Lens, subscribe to our Patreon, sign up for our “Weekly Pour” Newsletter, and don’t forget to follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and X.

If you like cocktails, subscribe to our second podcast, Cocktails with Friends. Cocktails with Friends is hosted by our good friend and partner, Bob Cutler.

Recent Bourbon Lens Coverage

Verified by MonsterInsights