Check out new releases from Buffalo Trace & Chris Stapleton, Woodford, Maker’s Mark
New bourbon and whiskey releases are arriving all the time in Kentucky. And some of the biggest distilleries have recently announced new bottles.
Traveller Whiskey Full Proof
Buffalo Trace distillery and Kentucky Grammy-winning artist Chris Stapleton have released Traveller Full Proof, a new, permanent line extension to their collaboration that debuted in January 2024.
It’s bottled at 121 proof, versus the original 90 proof Blend No. 40, and is available now at stores, bars and restaurants. The suggested retail price is $39.99 for a 750 ml bottle.
“Prior to collaborating with Harlen Wheatley and Buffalo Trace Distillery on Traveller Whiskey, I generally leaned toward higher-proof and barrel-strength bottles,” Stapleton said in a news release. “Needless to say, when we decided to experiment with a higher-proof expression, I was excited to see where that could land. One night after a show, we had two potential Full Proof contenders backstage with the band and some friends. Everyone agreed 121 was the clear winner. It’s the same easy-to-drink DNA, just turned up a few notches. I think Traveller Whiskey Full Proof is one of those moments where more of a good thing is definitely a good thing.”
According to the tasting notes, it has notes of caramelized sugar, baking spice and toasted oak with flavors of vanilla, warm toffee and dark fruit.
“Across our products, we like to experiment with proof as a way to bring out different flavor characteristics already present in the whiskey,” master distiller Wheatley said. “When we started experimenting with proof in Traveller’s blended recipe, flavors and finishes came to the forefront that aren’t as apparent in the 90 proof blend. It’s remarkable how different the blended recipe responds to proof variation compared to our straight bourbons. We think where we’ve landed is a completely unique offering that every whiskey drinker should try.”
Stapleton and Traveller recently appeared in a Super Bowl ad, and the whiskey was quietly revealed in a late-January social media post about the brand’s sponsorship of NASCAR driver Justin Allgaier.
Woodford Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon Barrel Finish
Woodford Reserve Distillery has released a new limited-edition bottle as part of its annual Distillery Series: Cabernet Sauvignon Barrel Finish features fully mature Woodford Reserve Bourbon finished in cabernet sauvignon French oak barrels.
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The wine barrels impart dark fruit and herbal notes, according to the news release. The Distillery Series is Woodford Reserve’s experimental line, where master distiller Elizabeth McCall pushes the boundaries of bourbon innovation in two or three releases a year.
“Finishing bourbon in wine barrels allows us to explore exciting new flavor dimensions,” McCall said. “The wine barrels impart rich, fruit-forward notes that complement the bourbon’s natural character, creating something truly special for adventurous whiskey lovers.”
According to the tasting notes, it has a nose of soft vanilla, spiced plum and blackberry dusted with allspice. On the palate, it’s warm baking spice, dark cherry and plum with a hint of cocoa and a lingering finish of soft oak and dried dark fruit. It’s 90.4 proof.
It’s available at the distillery at 7855 McCracken Pike in Versailles and at select Kentucky retailers for a suggested price of $64.99 for a 375 ml bottle. You also can order online at shop.woodfordreserve.com.
Maker’s Mark Spirit Women
For the third year, Maker’s Mark is offering you a chance to celebrate special women with a limited edition personalized label on a bottle of premium bourbon.
Go to makersmarkpersonalize.com to order your label. This year’s artist is Ashley Longshore, who has created a special label covered with flowers and gems.
For each label ordered, Maker’s Mark will donate $1, up to $50,000 total, to support Vital Voices, a nonprofit dedicated to uplifting female leaders.
Bottom Shelf by Fred Minnick
Not a bottle but a book: spirits expert Fred Minnick has released a memoir, “Bottom Shelf: How a Forgotten Brand of Bourbon Saved One Man’s Life.”
In the book, Minnick opens up about his battle with PTSD and adjusting to civilian life after he returned from Iraq, according to a news release. A taste mindfulness technique learned in therapy led him to bourbon, and he began studying it seriously.
When he tasted the whiskey in an Old Crow Chessmen piece, he became obsessed and began researching how a bourbon that helped shape America was nearly forgotten.
Minnick is on a national tour with the book, which is available in stores and online.
He will be a Joseph-Beth Booksellers at 4 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 21.
