Traveller Whiskey Review

Traveller Whiskey Review

Let’s get to the basics first. Traveller Whiskey is Buffalo Trace’s first-ever celebrity collaboration, an ongoing release under a partnership with country music superstar (and Kentucky native) Chris Stapleton. More specifically, the brand is presenting Traveller as a collaboration between Stapleton and Buffalo Trace master distiller Harlen Wheatley, listing them both as “co-founders” on the back label.

At a Traveller launch event in NYC, Stapleton and Wheatley recapped some tidbits around the partnership’s origin. The name pays homage to Stapleton’s 2015 debut album (“Traveller”), and Stapleton himself was heavily involved in the label’s design, weighing in on everything from shape to font color. According to Stapleton, what’s in the bottle was much more on Wheatley’s shoulders. Wheatley and the Buffalo Trace team went through roughly 50 blends before settling on Blend Number 40 for the ultimate release.

At 90 proof and $40 per bottle, it’s a moderately priced pour that is, notably, labeled a “Blended Whiskey.” Federal regulations mean the category of spirit needs to contain only 20 percent straight whiskey, and the remaining volume can come from neutral grain spirits. Buffalo Trace parent company Sazerac has specified the blend has no neutral grain spirit, meaning it’s fully a blend of straight whiskeys.

That’s pretty much what we do know. What we don’t know involves the actual blend components; grains, casks, type of whiskey, specific age, and even distilleries of origin are all undisclosed. We asked a Sazerac representative for more info on the blend, and this is what they said:

“[W]e are not disclosing exact distilleries/locations as it is proprietary information. We can confirm that it is a completely unique combination of whiskeys hand selected from multiple award-winning Sazerac distilleries.”

Blended whiskey as a category may conjure some stereotypes among whiskey drinkers. But let’s put aside those notions for a bit, and Sazerac has showcased impressive blending prowess in the past. (Specifically with the fantastic Mister Sam releases, as well as blended Last Drop products, both of which reside in the super-premium category.)

Ultimately, the proof is in the pour. Let’s see how Traveller Whiskey holds up!

Traveller Whiskey: Stats and Availability

Traveller is priced at $40 and is currently marketed as an ongoing, regular release. While the novelty spiked the price around release on the secondary market, things seem to be settling back down; this isn’t a bottle that currently seems in short supply. I expect it will be relatively straightforward to find at or just slightly above the $40 MSRP.

Traveller Whiskey Review

As with all of VinePair’s whiskey reviews, this was tasted in a Glencairn glass and rested for at least five minutes.

Nose

The nose starts with the scent of golden raisins, a subtle and pleasantly sweet — if fairly uncomplicated — note. More time in the glass brings fresher grape aromas, along with a very light caramel. Based purely on the first one or two sniffs, I’m immediately reminded of a light brandy. I smell the unmistakable kiss of ethanol, but it seems generally appropriate for 90 proof.

Further in comes a medicinal cherry and almond extract, scents that crawl up to the edge of smelling artificial without quite crossing into that territory. Combined with the overall and aforementioned sweetness, the almond note is reminiscent of marzipan.

The whiskey doesn’t smell particularly young in a grain-forward sense, and the oak influence is perceptible, if restrained. I immediately found myself searching for some of the hallmarks of years in a barrel — leather, tobacco, dark wood sugars, light astringency — but Traveller Whiskey never quite reaches that next layer of oak influence.

Thus far, The Traveller is a little tricky to pin down, with some inviting early scents that don’t quite punch as heavy as I hoped based on first sniff.

Taste

The first sip is sweet cornbread, or perhaps a dense corn pudding; it’s table sugar and grain sweetness from the tip of the tongue all the way through to the midpalate. Allspice and nutmeg are up next, carried by an oily texture that makes the experience more akin to extracts than the real-deal spices.

About that texture: The mouthfeel is slightly more viscous and lingering than I expected from a 90 proof, non-age stated product. It’s one of Traveller Whiskey’s clearest strengths and provides a conduit for flavors that could otherwise be all too easy to miss.

A few sips in, and my palate has acclimated to that initial sweetness. Flavors evolve to a flat cola, coupled with a mild and building tartness that helps cut the sugary flavors. It’s here that oak carries the greatest presence, with a touch of tannic dryness. Those tannins are familiar and welcome, though they almost certainly would carry more impact had they arrived earlier in the sip.

As with certain aromas on the nose, Traveller Whiskey’s flavors aren’t exactly bursting at the seams. But that surprisingly rich mouthfeel helps the liquid stick around for just long enough to leave an impression — or at least a few discernible notes.

Finish

The finish is somewhere in between an agreeable middle and precipitously short. (But generally, it rounds up after about a quarter ounce is consumed.) Cherry and artificial grape pair with lingering corn sweetness. A tiny hint of oak rounds things out and ultimately helps keep flavors from careening into something like simple syrup.

Traveller Whiskey Rating

87/100

Recap

Traveller Whiskey is a curious entry into the whiskey market. It’s budgeted for price-conscious consumers, though even at $40, it’s at or a bit above Buffalo Trace’s hallmark Kentucky bourbon. And the relative lack of info regarding what’s in the blend makes it difficult to offer comparisons.

Buffalo Trace markets the bottle as one to consume neat, on the rocks, or in cocktails, and it’s easy enough to imagine this as a sweet-leaning base for mixed drinks. Or perhaps it’s better as a changeup to sip neat and acclimate the palate at the beginning of a whiskey flight. Whatever it actually contains, Traveller has some tasty elements that give it the potential to become a versatile, affordable shelf staple. We’ll see if Stapleton’s celebrity can help give it staying power.

*Image retrieved from Buffalo Trace Distillery 

---

Related Reads

· Brand Profile: Buffalo Trace

Related Buffalo Trace Reviews

Thomas H. Handy Sazerac Rye Whiskey 2023:
While Buffalo Trace’s Antique Collection is known for some highly-age expressions — including a 19 year-old Eagle Rare for 2023! — ...

E. H. Taylor, Jr. Single Barrel Bourbon:
The E. H. Taylor, Jr. series is one of Buffalo Trace’s hallmark lineups, and for good reason: The expressions feature a mix of ...

George T. Stagg Bourbon 2023:
Another year, another George T. Stagg. (Though as the lack of a 2021 release showed, this is far from a guarantee). This year’s George T. ...

William Larue Weller Bourbon 2023:
Perhaps no annual release in American whiskey is as hotly anticipated as William Laure Weller. Often seen as the Buffalo Trace Antique ...

Featured Whiskey Articles

Raj Bhakta, Whiskey’s Most Polarizing Figure, Returns With a Bold Bet on Vintage-Specific Spirits:
Vintages may be the center of the wine world, but spirits pros like Raj Bhakta are aiming to introduce single-vintages to the spirits world.

For OnlyFans Creators, Private Whiskey Groups Are Rife With Opportunity:
Over the last year or so, an explosion of OnlyFans creators have started posting in Facebook's private whiskey groups.

Whiskey From… Macy’s? Decades Before the Bourbon Boom, Department Stores Sold Private-Label Booze:
In the mid-20th century, a Macy's shopper could have left with bags full of not only ties and slippers, but gin and bourbon.

Notes From the Past: Modern Spirits Makers Are Recreating (and Reinventing) Long-Forgotten Products:
In recent years, spirits producers of all kinds have released contemporary versions of long-gone spirits to echo flavors from the past.