Culture Dining

Country star Chris Stapleton and Buffalo Trace debut Traveller whiskey, scoop multiple whisky awards

Traveller whiskey label close up

Grammy-winning country music star Chris Stapleton has partnered with Kentucky-based Buffalo Trace Distillery, to create Traveller whiskey, a premium blend hailed as “a whiskey for all”.

Traveller has already proven a hit with critics. Buffalo The whiskey has taken 15 medals from global spirits competitions since launch, including Best in Class Gold at the 2024 Whiskies of the World competition and Gold at the Spirits Business American Whiskey Masters 2024.  

“Partnering with Buffalo Trace feels like a bucket list scenario for me,” says Stapleton. “Traveller whiskey represents our shared history and a common artistic vision. I couldn’t be prouder of what we’ve made.”

Traveller has already proven a hit with critics. Buffalo Trace says the whiskey has taken 15 medals from global spirits competitions since launch…

Crafting Chris Stapleton’s Traveller whiskey

For Master Distiller Harlen Wheatley, crafting was an exercise in precision and creativity. “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,” he explains. 

Stapleton, this week named Country Music Songwriter/Artist of the Year by the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP), at the 62nd Country Music Awards in Nashville, has a long-standing personal connection with the legendary distillery.

Born in Lexington, Kentucky, just down the road from Buffalo Trace, Stapleton’s relationship with the brand 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.

Bottled at 45% ABV, Traveller is aged in a combination of new charred oak barrels and specialty casks, chosen to impart a balance between boldness and smoothness.

Tasting notes tell of vanilla, aged fruit, and buttery shortbread on the nose, with sweet maple, tart currant, and leather, with a hint of spice and toasted nut, on the palate. 

Harlen Wheatley describes the release as a whiskey for all, whether you’re a seasoned aficionado or new to the category. “It’s smooth enough to sip on its own and versatile enough for cocktails. 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.”

Traveller Whiskey sells for £32. It’s on the shelves at Buffalo Trace Distillery’s flagship London tasting and retail experience, in Covent Garden, and available online from Amazon.

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