On Friday I got to pick up some goodies at Hokus Pokus and they just got in Traveller Whiskey, which has been all the buzz because of Sazerac’s collaboration with Chris Stapleton, writer and performer of the famous song, Tennessee Whiskey. I also picked up the 2023 George T. Stagg release which I am very excited to try, as this is one of my all time favorite bourbons. 

According to what I have read, Traveller Whiskey was created at Buffalo Trace by Harlan Wheatley in collaboration with Stapleton. This is a blended whiskey, meaning that there could either be two or more different whiskies in the mix plus possibly pure grain alcohol. Sazerac has remained mum about what is in Traveller other than to say there are no neutral grain spirits in the mix, but my best guess reading what is on the internet about it and tasting it is that it is a blend of Barton 1792 bourbon and Sazerac’s Canadian whiskey that is bottled in Caribou Crossing and its most popular brand, Fireball. It is bottled at 92 proof.

The color on this is rather stawlike and more the color of Canadian rather than bourbon whiskey. On the swirl is some oily droplets; not terribly impressive. On the nose, there is a little bit of fruit and floral notes. On the palate, there is a hint of sweetness and a little vanilla, but not much else. On the finish is some baking spice and clove that lingers for a good bit. The finish on this is probably the best element of this whiskey. The mouthfeel is ok but nothing special. But, when I think about it, Sazerac has absolutely captured the high end whiskey drinker market and they sell a lot of Fireball. I think they are trying to appeal to a different market, maybe people who like the idea of whiskey but don’t really like whiskey. I could see this displacing the Crown Royal in the ubiquitous Crown and Seven that is popular in Central and South Louisiana. If there is anything I can say about Traveller, is that there is nothing off-putting on the palate, and it is very easy to drink neat and would be fine in a cocktail. When asked for my initial reaction last night by some fellow whiskey drinkers, I likened Traveller to the TV show Seinfeld: this is a whiskey about nothing. 

 

The 2023 George T. Stagg needs almost no introduction, other than to say that this release is 135 proof and aged 15 years 4 months. Color is a lovely dark amber with mahogany flecks. The swirl produces a sheen on the glass with big thick legs all over the place that touch. On the nose are big vanilla and oak notes, along with leather and a hint of clove. Amazing. On the palate, this bourbon has an amazing oak backbone giving structure to notes of sweet corn bread and molasses dusted lightly with allspice and clove, and leathery and smokey notes reminiscent of Balkan Sobranie pipe tobacco. The long and lingering finish has the sweet notes fade into clove and oak.  I still remember the first bottle of George T. Stagg I was able to purchase in 2014, when Hokus Pokus used to raffle off chances to buy Van Winkle and Buffalo Trace Antique Collection whiskies. I snagged a Pappy 20 year old, and when I was at the register the woman who pulled the George T. Stagg didn’t want it because it was too high of proof, so she let me buy it. When I cracked both of them I remember thinking that the Stagg was better than the Pappy 20. It still is and this bottle reminds me of that. Yes, when I write about this whiskey I sound like J. Peterman from the Seinfeld show.