CHRIS STAPLETON AND BUFFALO TRACE DISTILLERY'S TRAVELLER WHISKEY BECOMES THE FIRST OFFICIAL WHISKEY OF MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL
The multi-year partnership celebrates the shared craftsmanship, perseverance and passion of whiskey and baseball, honoring the timeless spirit of both American traditions
FRANKFORT, Ky., May 8, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Traveller Blended Whiskey, co-created by Buffalo Trace Distillery's Master Distiller Harlen Wheatley and Grammy-winning singer, songwriter and musician Chris Stapleton, formed a new multi-year agreement making Traveller the Official Whiskey of Major League Baseball (MLB).
The partnership solidifies the Most Awarded Super Premium Whiskey release of 2024 as the first whiskey brand ever designated by MLB as its Official Whiskey, and invites fans ages 21-and-older to savor the camaraderie and connection of the game with a whiskey in hand.
Sharing his excitement for the partnership, Chris Stapleton stated, "Whenever we're on the road and it happens to line up, we go to baseball games. It's become a bit of a tradition over the years. We love to experience all the different ballparks and enjoy the culture of whatever baseball town we happen to be in. My wife and I even went to Game Six of the World Series once on our anniversary. Needless to say, I'm thrilled Traveller Whiskey is going to be the Official Whiskey of MLB."
"Like a perfect swing or a game-changing slider, developing a great whiskey is an art form that demands passion, time and dedication to master," added Andrew Duncan, Global Brand Director for Traveller Whiskey. "Starting this summer, we're bringing that same spirit to ballparks across the country – where unforgettable moments, world-class whiskey and America's pastime come together. We're excited to introduce MLB fans to baseball's newest tradition, Traveller Whiskey."
The 360-degree marketing partnership will promote the brand across various multimedia touchpoints including game broadcasts, custom social and digital content such as MLB Power Rankings and in stores across the U.S. Traveller will also set up engaging fan activations on-site at 2025 MLB All-Star Week and the MLB Speedway Classic presented by BuildSubmarines.com. Lastly, Traveller plans to give fans 21+ the opportunity to attend these highly anticipated events via custom sweepstakes and giveaways in conjunction with MLB.
"Harlen, Chris and the Buffalo Trace team have created this standout brand in a very competitive, popular space, and we're excited to work with them," said Uzma Rawn Dowler, MLB Chief Marketing Officer & Senior Vice President, Global Corporate Partnerships. "Between record levels of MLB fan engagement, All-Star Week in Atlanta and the Speedway Classic at Bristol Motor Speedway, this is a great year for Traveller and MLB to start working together."
A first-of-its-kind collaboration of collective artistry, Traveller is proudly blended and bottled at the World's Most Award-Winning Distillery under Master Distiller Harlen Wheatley's expert supervision. More than 50 blends were tasted before Stapleton and Wheatley agreed that Blend No. 40 would become Traveller.
Bottled at 90 proof, Traveller Whiskey is characterized by notes of oak, sweet maple, tart currant and leather. Complex aromas of vanilla, aged fruit and buttery shortbread are rounded off by caramel and a touch of oak. The flavor profile also showcases a touch of sweetness, followed by spice, toasted nut and oak flavors, closing with a robust finish. Traveller is a completely unique combination of whiskeys hand-selected from The Sazerac Company's award-winning distilleries.
Traveller Whiskey is widely available at retailers, bars and restaurants nationwide at a suggested retail price of $39.99 per 750ml bottle (local taxes and fees will vary).
To stay up to date on the latest partnership happenings as the season unfolds, follow @TravellerWhiskey on Instagram and Facebook, and @MLB on Instagram and Facebook. Learn more about Traveller Whiskey by visiting www.travellerwhiskey.com.
About Buffalo Trace Distillery
Buffalo Trace Distillery is an American family-owned company based in Frankfort, Kentucky. The Distillery's rich tradition dates back to 1775 and includes such legends as E.H. Taylor, Jr., George T. Stagg, Albert B. Blanton, Orville Schupp, and Elmer T. Lee. Buffalo Trace Distillery is a fully operational Distillery producing bourbon, rye and vodka on site and is a National Historic Landmark as well as listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Distillery has won 40 distillery titles since 2000 from such notable publications as Whisky Magazine, Whisky Advocate Magazine and Wine Enthusiast Magazine. Its George T. Stagg was named World Whiskey of the Year for 2022 and its Thomas H. Handy Sazerac Rye was named 2nd Finest Whiskey in the World for 2022. Buffalo Trace Distillery has also garnered more than 1,000 awards for its wide range of premium whiskeys. Buffalo Trace Distillery also has a deep commitment to supporting charitable initiatives. Nonprofit organizations interested in learning more about the Distillery's efforts are encouraged to register their charity here. To learn more about Buffalo Trace Distillery, visit www.buffalotracedistillery.com. To download images from Buffalo Trace Distillery visit http://www.buffalotracedistillery.com/media.
About Chris Stapleton
Kentucky-born Chris Stapleton is a 11x Grammy, 19x CMA and 20x ACM Award-winner and one of the country's most respected and beloved musicians. In the midst of yet another triumphant year, Stapleton recently won Best Country Solo Performance at the 67th Annual Grammy Awards with his song "It Takes A Woman" This accomplishment celebrates Stapleton's album, Higher, which includes break-out songs "White Horse" and "Think I'm In Love With You." Produced by Dave Cobb, Morgane Stapleton and Chris Stapleton, the record landed on several "Best of" lists including Billboard, Esquire, Los Angeles Times, Vulture and Rolling Stone, who praises, "dazzling…the best evidence yet for the way one man's voice has become synonymous with the very idea of a musical genre." Additionally, The New Yorker declares, "Stapleton is the rare country star with both traditional bona fides and broad commercial appeal. He has an outlaw soul and a pop star's capacity for inescapable hooks," while GQ proclaims, "In an age rife with division, he's maybe the only thing Americans all agree on."
Known for his electric live performances, Stapleton will continue his extensive "All-American Road Show" through this summer including two shows at NYC's Madison Square Garden. Additionally, Stapleton has recently collaborated with Post Malone ("California Sober"), Dua Lipa ("Think I'm In Love With You (Live from the 59th ACM Awards)"), Slash ("Oh Well") and George Strait ("Honky Tonk Hall of Fame"), released a version of Tom Petty's "I Should Have Known It" for the new Tom Petty tribute album and returned to NBC's "Saturday Night Live" for the third time as musical guest. He also performed the National Anthem at 2023's Super Bowl LVII and has worked in recent years with Adele, Taylor Swift, Bruno Mars, Ed Sheeran, Justin Timberlake, P!nk, Sheryl Crow, Santana and many more.
Stapleton and his wife, Morgane, are founders of the Outlaw State of Kind charitable fund, which supports a variety of causes that are close to their hearts.
About Major League Baseball (MLB)
Major League Baseball (MLB) is the most historic professional sports league in the United States and consists of 30 member clubs in the U.S. and Canada, representing the highest level of professional baseball. Led by Commissioner Robert D. Manfred, Jr., MLB has achieved back-to-back attendance gains for the first time in 12 years with an overall increase of +11% and 80% of Clubs welcoming more fans over the last two seasons following extensive rule changes that have improved the quality of play on the field. With the 2024 season featuring the best time of game in 40 years and the most stolen bases in 109 years, MLB viewership increased across all its national media partners, grew international viewership by +18%, set another record for MLB.TV streaming with more than 14 billion minutes watched and earned League of the Year honors from Sports Business Journal and the CLIOS. As the league increased its marketing efforts and promotion of star players like 2024 NL MVP Shohei Ohtani and 2024 AL MVP Aaron Judge, MLB has significantly increased its younger fan base as evidenced through viewership, social media, ticket purchasing, and participation metrics. Through its MLB Together social responsibility efforts, MLB remains committed to making a positive impact in the communities of the U.S., Canada and throughout the world. With the continued success of MLB Network, MLB digital platforms and local media production and distribution, MLB continues to find innovative ways for its fans to enjoy America's National Pastime and a truly global game. To learn more about MLB, please visit www.mlb.com.
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SOURCE Sazerac