For a long time, people have been making whiskey that was a little less robust than… well, whiskey. And as part of the Federal Government’s quest to keep people from being bamboozled when they make a purchase the tax rolls safe, they came up with a bunch of tiny, neat boxes to put every different kind of spirit into for legal and taxation purposes. For example, you may have heard of this little product called Vodka. I hear there was an entire era where people hated this guy so much they created a cavalcade of ultra-sweet, sugary drinks specifically designed to cover up its flavor. I believe it was called the 1980s. But what is Vodka, really? Here is what the Federal Government has to say:
Vodka: Neutral spirits distilled or treated after distillation with charcoal or other materials so as to be without distinctive character, aroma, taste or color (Neutral spirits being defined as: Spirits distilled from any material at or above 95% alcohol by volume (190 proof), and if bottled, bottled at not less than 40% alcohol by volume (80 proof)).
Why bring that up? Well, neutral spirits are one of the many ways people make their whiskey taste less like whiskey. Back in the early 1900s, Prohibition decimated whiskey production in this country. After booze became legal again, stocks of aged whiskey had dried up—sometimes literally. To stretch what little aged stock they had, producers added either young whisky or neutral spirits to the blend. Many of them were trying to make it taste as close as possible to the whisky people were used to while working within their limitations.
Of course, some—like the head of Seagram’s—actively believed in combining whiskey and neutral spirits. Seagram’s famously bought Four Roses and converted it from a Straight Bourbon to a Blended Whiskey. And since Scotch and Canadian whisky were both lighter (than, say, Bourbon) and popular at the time, who’s to say he was wrong? Seagram’s did end up a pretty big company.
So now that I’ve mentioned the dreaded B-word, let’s define it:
Blended Whisky: Whisky produced by blending not less than 20% on a proof gallon basis (excluding alcohol derived from added harmless coloring, flavoring or blending materials*) straight whisky or a blend of straight whiskies and, separately or in combination, whisky of any type or neutral spirits
That’s right—a blended whiskey can be up to 80 percent vodka. Fun, huh? But producers can go even lower: down to 5 percent whiskey and still put “whiskey” on the label. That is called Spirit Whiskey (Whisky produced by blending neutral spirits and not less than 5% on a proof gallon basis whisky, straight whisky or combination of whisky and straight whisky provided the straight whisky is used at less than 20% on a proof gallon basis).
Of course the other way to make whisky taste less like whiskey is to make Light Whiskey (Whisky produced in the U.S. at more than 80% alcohol by volume (160 proof) [but less than 95% alcohol by volume (190 proof)] and stored in used or uncharred new oak containers). Science tells us that above 160 proof flavor compounds start to break down, and at 190 proof they’re essentially gone. So the higher the distillation proof, the less flavor in the distillate. But since Light Whiskey is still aged in a barrel, you will get more flavor out of light whiskey than out of blended whisky. And if you want to get really crazy you can add some straight whiskey to your light whiskey and make Blended Light Whiskey (Light whisky blended with less than 20% straight whisky on a proof gallon basis).
Okay, so why the giant tangent about whiskey that doesn’t taste as much like whiskey as it could? Well, tonight’s whiskey is a Blended Whiskey. The last time I covered a Blended Whiskey was in 2017. I still get comments on that post, taking me to task. I’m just leaning into it.
Traveller is a collaboration between Musician Chris Stapleton and Buffalo Trace. It is another in a long line of vanity whiskey brands for musicians. We’ve covered a bunch of them over the years.
From the Press Release:
“Buffalo Trace Distillery’s Master Distiller Harlen Wheatley and Grammy-winning singer, songwriter and musician Chris Stapleton today unveiled Traveller Whiskey, a new, premium blended whiskey that represents a first-of-its-kind collaboration of collective artistry. Proudly blended and bottled at the World’s Most Award-Winning Distillery under Wheatley’s expert supervision, Traveller is the result of countless hours of testing, tasting and dedication to craftsmanship that have produced powerful songs and world-class whiskeys…Traveller is a completely unique combination of whiskeys hand-selected from The Sazerac Company’s award-winning distilleries.”
Ok. So, how does it taste?
Traveller Whiskey
Purchase Info: $1.99 for a 50 mL bottle at Liquor Barn, Louisville, KY. Suggested retail price for a 750 mL bottle is $39.99
Price per Drink (50 mL): $1.99 (mini); $2.67 (750 mL SRP)
Details: 45% ABV
Nose: Vanilla, dried grains, wintergreen, a hint of baking spice, and a citrus-like tanginess.
Mouth: Vanilla, cinnamon, wintergreen, 1980s Topps Baseball Card bubble gum (an unwrapped stick of hard bubble gum that has been slightly flavored with cardboard and ink due to the close proximity they were kept in, if you are too young to have had it), and a citrus-like tang.
Finish: Short to medium, on the gentle side of warm; notes of 1980s Topps Baseball Card bubble gum, cinnamon, and wintergreen.
