Kentucky distillery Buffalo Trace pairs up with Chris Stapleton on new whiskey release

A Kentucky superstar is partnering with Buffalo Trace Distillery in Frankfort for a new blockbuster: Traveller Whiskey.

It’s a collaboration between Grammy Award winning-singer, songwriter and musician Chris Stapleton and Buffalo Trace master distiller Harlen Wheatley. And it’s the first time Buffalo Trace has released a celebrity spirit.

Wheatley said that he experiment with more than 50 blends before they agreed that Blend No. 40 would become Traveller.

Traveller Whiskey is a 90-proof blended premium whiskey (it apparently isn’t a bourbon, according to the press release) made from a combination of Sazerac’s whiskeys.

Where to buy Chris Stapleton whiskey, what does it cost?

According to the news release, it’s available to buy now at retailer stores, bars and restaurants. It also is on shelves in the gift shop at the Buffalo Trace Distillery in Frankfort.

And it’s surprisingly affordable for a whiskey from the same distillery that sells expensive bourbons like Pappy Van Winkle, Blanton’s, Weller and Eagle Rare: Traveller has a suggested retail price of about $40 (It’s $39.99 plus tax, according to the news release.)

What new Buffalo Trace whiskey Traveller tastes like

According to the tasting notes, it’s characterized by notes of oak, sweet maple, tart currant and leather with a complex nose of vanilla, aged fruit, shortbread, caramel and oak. On the palate, it has a touch of sweetness and spice, toasted nut and oak flavors with a robust finish.

“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,” said Wheatley. “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.”

Buffalo Trace, Stapleton put out an E.H. Taylor bourbon

This isn’t the first time that Buffalo Trace and Lexington-born Stapleton have collaborated: Chris and his wife, Morgane Stapleton, released special bottles of E.H. Taylor, another of the distillery’s bourbons, to raise money for Outlaw State of Kind, the Stapletons’ charity.

And, according to previous comments by Stapleton, E.H. Taylor was on hand for recording sessions of Stapleton’s breakthrough album, “Traveller.”

“Partnering with Buffalo Trace Distillery and Harlen Wheatley feels like a bucket list scenario for me,” Stapleton said in the news release. “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.”

This story was originally published January 8, 2024 at 11:40 AM.

Janet Patton

Lexington Herald-Leader

859-379-5233

Janet Patton covers restaurants, bars, food and bourbon for the Herald-Leader. She is an award-winning business reporter who also has covered agriculture, gambling, horses and hemp. Support my work with a digital subscription