B’s Rickhouse Rant Vol. 6-Traveller Whiskey & the Chris Stapleton Collab

Chris Stapleton and his Tennessee Whiskey…

You know what grinds my gears? A big-time distillery like Buffalo Trace — the king of craft, flavor, heritage — teaming up with a badass songwriter like Chris Stapleton — a guy who gets deep, connects with the soul, writes raw music with heart — and putting his name on a… 90-proof, sweet‑ish, borderline bland whiskey marketed as “Tennessee Whiskey.” Really?

Look, I get it. They want a bottle that competes with Jack (whose legacy I question), something that’ll fly off shelves, easy on the pocket, easy to sip. And they nailed that: mix up a blend—calling it “Blend No. 40” to sound fancy—something that tastes like caramel socks dipped in honey and maybe some orange peel. Easygoing, smooth, crowd‑pleasing. But y’all? That’s literally the definition of bland.

This whiskey doesn’t hug you—it pats you on the head. There’s zero swagger, no oak punch, no spice bark, no Kentucky backbone, no Tennessee pride. Just… “fine.” It’s the distilled version of “meh.”

And yet! Here’s Chris — this burly, unshaven biomedical engineer‑valedictorian, Grammy winner, frontier songwriter — being marketed with this OK whiskey? His music is fire. His Tiny Desk Concert is legendary. He’s honest, soulful, gritty. This Traveller bottle? It’s vanilla at best. It doesn’t match his vibe.

You wanna launch a whiskey with Chris Stapleton? Give us something that fights back. Something with character. A dram that makes you sit up, pay attention—like his lyrics. Not a sweetheart for college flashbacks and sunset-drenched 80s pop covers.

Sure, Traveller is fine. It goes in a Coke. It’s neat. It’s not offensive. But for that price? Man, I’d rather have a Old Forester 1920—or splash out on New Riff Barrel Strength if I’m feeling punchy. Those are whiskeys that walk the walk.

So here’s my take: Traveller is exactly what Buffalo Trace and Stapleton aimed for — a friendly, polite, easy-drinking crowd-pleaser. But that ain’t B’s Rickhouse energy. That ain’t Stapleton’s energy. That’s a cookie-cutter house whiskey for people who want something smooth, not something with bite or depth.

🔥 Final Word: If you’re a Stapleton fan and want a shelf-statement, have at it. But if you want a whiskey that sings like a powerhouse troubadour—there are miles more hits out there deserving of your pour.