The Brand Behind Pappy Van Winkle Goes Country With New Chris Stapleton Whiskey Collaboration

Buffalo Trace Distillery is responsible for some of the most coveted whiskies on Earth, including Pappy Van Winkle and George T. Stagg. Chris Stapleton is among the world’s most celebrated musicians, an 11-time American Country Music Awards winner. Now the two legends of Kentucky are teaming up to bring an original Bluegrass product to market. It’s called Traveller Whiskey, and we’ve got your first look at the new liquid.

The upcoming release was blended under the expert supervision of Buffalo Trace head distiller Harlen Wheatley. Since assuming the reins at the legendary Frankfort facility in 2005, the industry icon has amassed more accolades than we can count. So it’s no surprise that this 90-proof whiskey drinks wonderfully, surrendering notes of maple, currant, and leather to the tumbler. 

But what you might not suspect is how instrumental Stapleton was in finalizing the blend. It turns out, the Country Music superstar—who recorded one of his biggest hits with Tennessee Whiskey—is no stranger to expertly-aged adult beverages. He grew up in Lexington, Kentucky, not far from Buffalo Trace, and formerly teamed up with the distillery to handpick commemorative single barrel releases of EH Taylor. Those bourbons arrived as limited editions in 2021 and early 2023 and benefited his charitable fund, Outlaw State of Kind.

And this new product will get to wear his name and signature on the label. It marks a first-of-its-kind collaboration for Buffalo Trace. 

“In creating Traveller, we tried over 50 different recipes, experimenting, testing, and adjusting until we found a complex and approachable flavor profile worthy of the whiskey drinker who will enjoy it,” says Wheatley. “In the end, there was one clear winner, which we call, ‘Blend No. 40.’ Everyone agreed it was worthy to be Traveller Whiskey.” 

The exact pricing has yet to be revealed, but a spokesperson for the brand says it will be in line with standard Buffalo Trace. So expect it to fall somewhere in the $20-$26 range. But then again, a bottle of Old Rip Van Winkle 10-Year-Old is supposed to sell for $70 when it comes to market each autumn. If you find one for under $900, please let us know. Seriously, our emails are open. Will Traveller Whiskey be subject to the same secondary market surge? We’ll have to wait and see. The new release doesn’t hit shelves until January 2024.