Buffalo Trace’s New Chris Stapleton Whiskey Is Here & We Tried It

Is it as smooth as Tennessee whiskey?

Published February 13, 2024

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Back in the fall, Buffalo Trace Distillery announced that its next whiskey would be a brand-new label created in partnership with country music superstar Chris Stapleton. While we knew the name of the new product would be “Traveller Whiskey,” other details were scant. We knew it would be bottled at 90 proof. We knew it was a blend that Kentucky native Stapleton and Buffalo Trace master distiller Harlen Wheatley came up with only after testing more than 50 different recipes, settling on blend number 40. And we knew it would arrive sometime in 2024.

Well, soon after 2024 arrived, Buffalo Trace wasted no time in getting Traveller onto store shelves. The whiskey officially rolled out on January 4 and is readily available from online sellers. Thankfully, at least so far, bottles are being listed for around their suggested retail price of $39.99 — a welcome change for a new whiskey from Buffalo Trace, whose releases routinely sell for several times their SRP on the secondary market. (Reminder: That $330 bottle of Weller 12 you spied at your local liquor store the other day should be tagged at about $45.)

I received my own bottle from Buffalo Trace to see if the red-hot distillery has another hit on its hands. Here’s what I think after trying Chris Stapleton’s Traveller Whiskey.

Traveller Whiskey
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This whiskey was sampled neat from a whiskey tasting glass. To learn more about our testing methodology and how we evaluate products, head here.

Buffalo Trace Traveller Whiskey: What We Think

I’m usually leery of celebrity collaborations. They’re often long on hype and short on quality. But Buffalo Trace rarely, if ever, misses, so I figured if any brand could pull off a celebrity-crafted whiskey, it could. Also, Stapleton comes across as a no-BS type of celeb. He is just starting to build up his brand with a string of Traveller collaborations (he recently worked with Filson on a clothing and gear capsule), and so far seems to be picking his spots carefully and making all the right moves.

Anyway, onto the whiskey: I personally don’t care about Stapleton having anything to do with this whiskey, I care about how it tastes. And this stuff is great. I was pleasantly surprised at its complex nose and palate, how easy it is to drink and, frankly, how damn tasty it is. Sure, I wouldn’t mind a little more transparency about what’s actually in the bottle, but celeb collab or not, this is a great whiskey, especially for $40. Will it stay on the shelves at that price point? Given its quality and that it’s a Buffalo Trace product, probably not, so grab a bottle now before the hypebeasts get a hold of this stuff.

bottle of whiskey on train tracks — Traveller certainly doesn’t need the celebrity endorsement to fly off shelves — this is good stuff.

Traveller Whiskey: Tasting Notes

Nose: While it’s not labeled as a bourbon, there’s obviously some bourbon in the blend, as Traveller has a very bourbon nose. There is a lot of vanilla, some caramel corn, oak and just a hint of spice. It’s more complex on the nose than classic Buffalo Trace Kentucky Straight.

Palate: To paraphrase one of Stapleton’s biggest hits: Is it as smooth as Tennessee whiskey? Well, I’d argue it’s a good deal smoother than Jack Daniel’s Old No. 7. This is an easy-drinking whiskey. It’s fairly sweet up top, but it’s a light corn sweetness with just a hint of toffee and vanilla carrying over from the nose — there’s nothing cloying here. The mouthfeel is quite creamy, leading me to think there’s probably some wheated bourbon tucked away somewhere in the blend. On the backend, things get a bit spicy leading into the finish.

Finish: Although this whiskey is tame on the tongue, it finishes strong with a burst of rye spice. There’s a touch of heat on the backend, but not as much as you’d think for a 90-proof whiskey that only costs $40. Wheatley and company have done a great job of smoothing over any harsh edges here.

Traveller Whiskey

A collab between country star Chris Stapleton and Buffalo Trace master distiller Harlen Wheatley, Traveller is an easy-drinking blended whiskey that leans heavily into well-loved BT bourbon territory.