Starward distillery
Starward founded in 2007 in the state of Victoria by David Vitale is a rising star in the international whisky sky. The progressive Australian New World whisky distillery relies on aging in Australian wine barrels and recommends pairing with numerous dishes. The progressive young distillery is a child of the cultural metropolis Melbourne, which is considered the culinary Mecca of the Australian continent. So it is no coincidence that Starward likes to present its whisky in pairings with dishes and as a cocktail variant. The distillery exudes a spirit of optimism and appeals to a new generation of whisky enthusiasts with its unconventional design. It is not for nothing that Starward likes to call itself New World Whisky.
How does Starward whisky taste?
Maturing in Australian red wine barrels brings many fruity and berry notes into the Starward whiskies. The barrels made from Australian oak also add spicy accents. In addition, there are sweet aromas of caramel, as well as light nutty tones and toasted notes.
Production
Starward is an experimental whisky producer. When it comes to the choice of grain, the distillery breaks traditional conventions with it’s whiskies. With the Starward Two-Fold, for example, the whisky is distilled from wheat and barley malt. The distillery calls this whisky “Double Grain”. Starward uses classic copper pot stills for distillation with a 1,800 liters (wash still) and 600 liters (spirit still).
Wine cask maturation
The maturation of Starward whisky also sets it apart as this takes place in a variety of Australian Wine Casks. Whisky is usually stored in freshly charred oak barrels (Bourbon) or former Bourbon barrels (Scotch). It is true that a finish, i.e. a short subsequent ripening shortly before bottling, is quite common in wine barrels. But so far, no one else has gone so radically across the entire product portfolio. Incidentally, the barrels come from some of Australia’s leading wine regions, such as the Barossa Valley and the Yarra Valley, these casks have previously contained Shiraz, Cabernet, Pinot and Apera, the Australian Sherry*, a strong wine. Due to the highly variable climate of Melbourne, the barrels mature faster than their relatives in Scotland or Ireland with a higher angels’ share the whisky is loaded with aromas from an early age.
*Apera is the Australian version of sherry, but due to the protected designation of origin, it cannot be called that.
History
Thanks to a substantial injection of funds from Diageo’s financing project “Distill Ventures”, Starward was able to expand massively in 2015 and raise its production capacity to 250,000 liters per year.
In 2014, the Australian Sullivan Cove Distillery was named the world’s best single malt whisky at the World Whiskies Arwards. Since then, at the latest, Australia has been on the radar of the international whisky community. Australia, and Tasmania in the lead, is considered by many experts to be “the new Japan” of the whisky world. It is alluding to the rapid rise of theJapanese whiskiesa luxury good and the associated enormous rise in the price of Japanese whiskies. Starward was founded by David Vitale in 2008 long before the rush. In 2015, Starward received a substantial financial injection from the spirits company Diageo. The company selected Starward in its Distilled Ventures program and made large investments in expanding the distillery. As a result, the distillery was able to move to new buildings in Port Melbourne in 2016. The production capacity was increased to around 250,000 liters per year. ThereAustralian whiskyHas only arrived sporadically in the European market so far, Starward has taken a pioneering role here. We are curious to see what else will come to us from the other end of the world and which stars the Melbourne residents have in store for us.
Starward factsheet
| Name | Pronounced | AKA | Region | Country of Origin |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Starward | New World Whisky | Victoria | Australia | |
| Status | Active | Whisky Type | Website | Tours Available |
| Active | 2009 - Present | Grain | Starward | Not Available |
| Manager | Distiller | Blender | Owned by | Parent Group |
| David Vitale | David Vitale |