Traveller Whiskey, Bruichladdich Islay Barley 2014, Garrison Brothers Guadalupe, & More [New Releases]

The new year is off to a promising start, with a handful of releases from whisky makers around the globe. Hye, Texas's Garrison Brothers is ringing in 2024 with a new edition of its cask-finished Guadalupe bourbon. Musician Chris Stapleton has dipped his toes into the whiskey pool, releasing a new blend in collaboration with Buffalo Trace. Catoctin Creek is celebrating its 15th anniversary with a bonded rye. Over in Scotland, Bruichladdich has a new version of its vintage-dated Islay Barley single malt, and Royal Salute has new festive packaging for its 21 year old blend. Read on for full details.

Traveller Whiskey
Style: Blend
Origin: Multiple (undisclosed)
Age: Not stated
ABV: 45%
Price: $40
Release: January
Availability: Nationwide

Need to know:
A collaboration between singer-songwriter Chris Stapleton and Buffalo Trace master distiller Harlen Wheatley, Traveller is a blended whiskey, with all components of the final blend coming from Sazerac Co. distilleries. While Sazerac isn’t naming the distilleries that contributed, the whiskey is most likely pulled from the company’s American contingent: Buffalo Trace, A. Smith Bowman, and/or Barton 1792.

Whisky Advocate says:
While this is Stapleton’s first whiskey, it isn’t his introduction to Buffalo Trace. Stapleton recorded his debut studio album, Traveller, in Lexington, Kentucky back in 2015; it was then that he became acquainted with E.H. Taylor Jr., one of Buffalo Trace’s labels, and bottles of the brand were soon a mainstay on his home bar and backstage with him as he toured. It was around this time that Buffalo Trace started supporting Stapleton’s charity, Outlaw State of Kind, on numerous fundraising initiatives, even having Stapleton select single barrels of E.H. Taylor Jr. for the benefit of the charity on a handful of occasions.

Garrison Brothers Guadalupe (2024 Edition)
Style: Finished bourbon
Origin: Texas
Age: 6 year old
ABV: 53.5%
Price: $150
Release: February
Availability: 10,500 bottles nationwide

Need to know:
At the beginning of each year, Garrison Brothers releases Guadalupe, a 4 year old Texas straight bourbon that’s finished for 2 years in tawny port casks. The bourbon, named after the Guadalupe River, is made from locally sourced corn, soft red winter wheat, and barley.

Whisky Advocate says:
Garrison Brothers never reinvents the wheel with Guadalupe, and for that reason it has drummed up quite a fan base, drawing considerable crowds on its release day events. This year, of the 10,500 bottles being released 1,000 will be available at the distillery in Hye, Texas on release day, which is February 3rd.

Catoctin Creek Rabble Rouser Bottled in Bond (2024)
Style: Rye
Origin: Virginia
Age: 6 year old
ABV: 50%
Price: $100
Release: February
Availability: Limited; available nationwide and online at catoctincreekdistilling.com

Need to know:
This bonded rye was distilled entirely from rye during the fall 2017 distilling season.

Whisky Advocate says:
Virginia’s Catoctin Creek Distilling Co. released this expression as a way of commemorating its upcoming 15th anniversary in February. At 6 years old, it’s the oldest expression we’ve seen from the distillery so far. The liquid itself is an interesting footnote in Catoctin’s history, representing the first batch of whiskey aged using the distillery’s usual 53-gallon barrels. Prior to 2017, the distillery used 30-gallon barrels which made transportation to the warehouse in a pickup truck possible. It was also the year that the distillery replaced its makeshift horse barn warehouse.

Bruichladdich Islay Barley 2014
Style: Single malt
Origin: Scotland (Islay)
Age: 10 year old
ABV: 50%
Price: $83
Release: February 2024
Availability: Limited

Need to know:
The latest vintage of Bruichladdich’s Islay Barley single malt was distilled in 2014 from barley grown by eight local farms, all situated within an 11-mile radius of the distillery. The whisky was aged in a combination of first-fill bourbon casks, sherry butts, and second-fill wine casks.

Whisky Advocate says:
Bruichladdich’s Islay Barley is about as grain-to-glass as whisky gets. Each batch is made from ingredients that come from the distillery itself or mere miles away. While there are variations in flavor from vintage to vintage—which are namely due to differences in cask finishing combinations—you can generally bet on the quality of Islay Barley staying superb.

Royal Salute 21 year old Signature Blend Lunar New Year 2024 edition
Style: Blend
Origin: Scotland
Age: 21 year old
ABV: 40%
Price: $200
Release: January
Availability: Limited edition packaging available at select retailers, however, the blend is available all year round

Need to know:
Royal Salute is releasing a special edition gift pack of its classic 21 year old Signature Blend for the Lunar New Year festivities in February. Known for its lavishly designed packaging, Royal Salute engaged Chinese artist Yunshu Li to design this year’s gift pack to celebrate the Year of the Dragon. Her vibrant design depicts floral bouquets representing wishes of happiness, growth, prosperity, and love.

Whisky Advocate says:
Royal Salute was first launched in 1953 as a 21 year old, and today, master blender Sandy Hyslop maintains the tradition of only releasing whiskies aged 21 years old or older in the range. With many people traveling across the world to be with family and friends for the Lunar New Year, airport Travel Retail stores are a good place to look for special bottlings if you’re on the move. Lunar New Year is associated with customs of gifting and every year, a growing number of whisky brands release brightly colored special edition gift packs to mark the festivities.