Chris Stapleton had a smash country hit with his version of “Tennessee Whiskey” in 2015, but the eight-time Grammy winner may soon be singing a different tune.
Stapleton has partnered with Kentucky’s Buffalo Trace Distillery to launch Traveller Whiskey, which will arrive on shelves next year. The singer, who was born a stone’s throw from Buffalo Trace’s distillery in Lexington, Kentucky, spent countless hours with master distiller Harlen Wheatley, tasting through more than 50 different recipes of blends to settle on the final product: Blend No. 40. Of that process, Wheatley tells us, “When on a quest to create something special, you don’t give up until you find the perfect combination.”
The aim of the whiskey, per the label, is to showcase that “good whiskey is a lot like a good song. It requires no explanation. One taste should tell you everything you need to know. No one has to tell you how to feel about it. You simply settle in and enjoy.” Amen to that.
While Buffalo Trace remains mum on the exact mashbill, the Traveller Whiskey will launch at 90 proof, making it accessible for newcomers to the spirit while still appealing to die-hard denizens. Stapleton himself is a venerable fan of Buffalo Trace brands. Last year, the singer teamed up with the distillery to hand-select bottles of limited-edition E.H. Taylor, Jr single-barrel bourbon to be auctioned off for his charity, Outlaw State of Kind. Here’s hoping that Stapleton and Wheatley pulled a bunch of E.H. Taylor into their new blend.
More detailed tasting notes will be released closer to the launch of Traveller Whiskey, but we’re told that the liquid is “a complex yet approachable whiskey, with notes of oak, maple, currant and leather.”
Of working with Stapleton, Wheatley tells us exclusively: “Chris’s passion for quality craftsmanship — be it music or whiskey — is one that deeply resonates with me, and it's what has made this collaboration unique. Chris has been a friend of Buffalo Trace Distillery for many years and we're proud of what we've created with Traveller. We're eager to share it with the world."
No exact release date has been announced for Traveller Whiskey, but Buffalo Trace tells us we can expect it to arrive in early 2024.
