Traveller Whiskey

Not bad, decent flavor overall. A little heat, but not over the top.

TRAVELLER WHISKEY We'll get to the review after the following rant... I'm a fan of Buffalo Trace. Most of their whiskies (when you can find them) are great and (since I'm in a control state) fairly priced. I also think, for the most part, that they are pretty upfront about what is in the bottle and avoid the hype and fanciful storytelling that some distilleries indulge in. That is, until Traveller "Blend No. 40". I've been a fan of Stapleton since his days with the Steeldrivers so I was definitely looking forward to this one, especially since it was blended by Buffalo Trace Master Distiller Harlen Wheatley at Buffalo Trace. We knew it was blended with no neutral grain spirits, so I'm imagining Wheatley tinkering like a mad scientist with BT's three bourbon and one rye mashbills crafting a blend that is both affordable and unique. Imagine my disappointment to find that it's Barton distillate (which is no where close to being as good as BT) and one of Sazerac's Canadian Ryes shipped in steel tankers to Frankfort, KY and blended there. Despite the constant references to Wheatley and the distillery in Frankfort, there's no Buffalo Trace Whiskey in here at all. None. Zilch. Zero. It just seems lazy and a little disingenuous to me. Rant over, now how is "Blend 40"? *NOSE: There's a slight Mustiness, Oak, Rye Spice, Light Vanilla, Orange Peel, Clove, Cinnamon, and Straw. With some time in the Glencairn, the Vanilla becomes more prominent. Very pleasant and better than expected. *NEAT: A bit of a letdown after the nose. Decent mouthfeel delivers a general One-Note Vanilla Sweetness with a Hint of Oak and Cinnamon. Smooth Finish with the Vanilla and Cinnamon coating the palate. There's a light heat blooming in the chest. *SPLASH: A little water gives the palate a Butterscotch/Maple vibe. *VERDICT: About what I expected, and better than 90% of the Barton products I've consumed. Maybe that's not such a bad thing, salvaging some subpar Barton by mixing it with some Canadian Rye. I'm betting the whole is greater than the sum of the parts here and "No 'Future Pappy' was harmed in the making of this product". I can see this being an easy sipper over ice or mixed into any number of cocktails at a weekend tailgate or Backyard BBQ. I think they were going for the casual weekend drinker and not the enthusiast and they've done it fairly well. This is probably not going to be a re-purchase for me as George Dickel No.8 already fills that role for me better and at less than 1/2 the price. After all, nothing's as "Smooth as Tennessee Whiskey".

Caramel and buttered toast