Tastes

Released in late 2020 and long sold out, this was the inaugural bottling in Starward's Small Batch Specialty Malt Series, made using cherry wood to smoke the barley. Only available from the distillery door this 55% ABV liquid now sells for a ludicrous sum (AUD$399/500 ml) if you can find it; there were only 300 bottles made. I have been unable to track down any reliable information on the casks (although I found rumour of Apera), the barley, the smoking (beyond cherry wood), or if the Starward signature red wine influence has been felt. Instead we go in nearly completely blind. N: Surprisingly gentle smoke. Distinct wood smoke presence masks what may be a slight acetone undertone. Lightly perfumed in character with an emergent sweet and sour note from sour apple vinegar and juicy, sharp-pineapple. As this sits with me I am convincing myself of a nutty-coconut oiliness also; this may just be the ‘tropical spirit’ Starward always espouse but I seemingly struggle to fail to find every time. P: Oh thats odd. There is a very strange battle for my mouth taking place. The wood smoke is BBQ smoking chips; powerful and texturally like ash, with meat or brine; yes would be lovely. But there isn’t meatiness or brininess there is instead: all the sweetness. All of it. Big juicy fruit flavours of pineapple, banana, a spritz of fresh citrus (maybe grapefruit or lime?). This is liquid wood smoke flavouring shaken through a bottle of tropical soda. F: Short. Sweetness gives way to fairly bland wood smoke. Meh. Water does not do this any favours, it adds a grimy and curdled feeling to the dram that honestly makes me not want to finish what is left in the glass. It occurs to me that this nose is akin to Smokehead Rum Rebel, it also occurs to me that I do not care for this whisky. I have not had many wood smoked whiskies, I suspect the reason why they are not as common as peat smoked malts is simply because more often than not they are abominations. The nose here is pleasant enough, but I would recommend no one part with coin to experience it. The rest of the dram is figuratively (and near on literally) like being at an overly amateur hour coal fired BBQ where everyone is drenching you with supersoakers filled with cheap, sugary, off brand tropical fruit drink. I’m sure this sounds like a great afternoon out/dram to someone out there, but I’ll hard pass that invite. Distiller whisky taste #220 [Pictured here with a nugget of native copper. Copper is one of only four metals that occur naturally in native (pure) form in large amounts and so has found use with humans dating back thousands of years. During Roman times copper was mainly sourced from Cyprus and is the origin of coppers name and chemical symbol with ‘aes cuprum’ or ‘metal of Cyprus’ becoming cuprum, then Copper, Cu. This hunk though comes from Michigan and the Keweenaw Peninsula, home of the largest concentration of native copper in the world.] Starward running scores Nova: 3/5 Fortis: 3.25/5 Solera: 3.75/5 10th Anniversary: 4.25/5 Vitalis 15th Anniversary: 4.5/5 Whisky Club Exclusive, Maple Cask: 2/5 Whisky Club Exclusive, Cognac Cask: 3.5/5 Projects, Octave Barrels: 3.75/5 Projects, Dolce: 2.25/5 Projects, Bourbon Cask: 3.5/5 Projects, Tawny #2: 3.5/5 Projects, UnExpeated: 3.75/5 Projects, Peated: 2.75/5 Small Batch, Cherry Wood Smoked: 2/5 Small Batch, Hungarian Oak: 3/5 Small Batch, Sticky Toffee Apple: 3.25/5 Small Batch, Chardonnay: 4/5 Whisky Loot Single Barrel Single Malt Exclusive: 3.5/5

I suspect those of you following along at home are sick to death of Starward reviews from me by now. Or perhaps not. Perhaps the greatness that is the new app isn’t showing them to you. Anyway, we are entering the home straight now and number 18 tonight is an exclusive release. Whisky Loot, or Liquor Loot as it is now known is a premium subscription tasting service. Pay a fee and each month you get 3 x 60 ml bottles of stuff to drink. Nice packaging, nice notes and guides, fairly typical range of spirits and whisky. That said they do have some exclusives and rarities from time to time. This is no exception. Whisky Loot went and selected their own barrel (barrel 2384 if you care to know) of Starward single malt matured in French oak red wine barrique cask from the Barossa Valley. The cask was wet filled and laid down in September 2016, and 240 bottles were sealed up in April 2021 at 58.3% and were sold at AUD$160-169. N: Soft and quite enticing. Tannic red wine is immediately apparent as is a dark cherry. Want to say there is toffee backing everything, but theres no sweetness, brown sugar, or vanillin that stand out to me, but its a toffee like presence none the less. Cinnamon, nutmeg, and pepper; but with no spicy prickle. The longer this has sat the more leathery and almost earthy this has gotten, as if its all getting in its own way… I’ll be back with water in a bit. P: Medium bodied, with an almost jumpy texture that slips between bright and acidic, oily and bold, and aggressively zingy. I was told to expect balance, but there is a disturbance in the force here. Grandmas apple pie: sharp apple, crumbly brown sugar topped shortcrust pastry, cinnamon spice. Theres more though, bitter espresso, bitter cocoa, tannic wine influence, dark red fruits of cherry and plum, a little malt out the back side if you look for it. F: Long. Leathery cinnamon, rich oak, crunchy brown sugar, fresh apple heading towards sweetness. A splash of water surprisingly did nothing for the nose except make me aware that this is verging on 60% ABV. I had hoped it would explode a big bouquet of magical goodness, sadly it stays heavy and clustered. The palate though, calms and relaxes itself the malt becomes a little more known, the fresh acidity of apple subsides slightly and the spiciness moves forward with the feinty leathers just about keeping things in line and mask the bitterness a little. I may have just found a floral pop too (I’m a big fan of florals). The finish, meh, much the same. 219 Distiller whisky tastes (and change not recorded) in and I’m pretty jaded. Exclusive releases, limited editions… blah blah blah. Marketing hype to peddle second rate junk. I didn’t come into this expecting much. I thought it would be bland and pretty on par with Nova, Fortis, or Solera (the core group). I was pleasantly surprised to find a loud and expressive youngster desperate to stand out from the crowd. Nothing exceptional, but plenty of character, and a lot of fun. A little browse of Distiller and the web and there are a lot (a lot a lot) of exclusive single barrel Starwards. I think all the rambunctious and rebellious single barrels combined well explains the run of the mill core Starward offerings that lack character and a lasting impression…. I think I’m finally getting to understand Starward. Distiller whisky taste #219 [Pictured here with some rather fantastic galena from Madan, Bulgaria. Galena is a lead sulphide and likes to form cubic crystals. These shiny beauties were formed from hydrothermal fluids at 280-350 degrees C ~30 million years ago due to the intrusion of some igneous rocks. Whats special about these particular ones are that the soft rounded corners, known as ‘melted galena’ are formed when chemical conditions of mineralising fluids changed and begun corroding the galena along crystal margins. And just like this exclusive whisky, melted galena is almost exclusively from the Madan Bulgaria deposits] Starward running scores: Nova: 3/5 Fortis: 3.25/5 Solera: 3.75/5 10th Anniversary: 4.25/5 Vitalis 15th Anniversary: 4.5/5 Whisky Club Exclusive, Maple Cask: 2/5 Whisky Club Exclusive, Cognac Cask: 3.5/5 Projects, Octave Barrels: 3.75/5 Projects, Dolce: 2.25/5 Projects, Bourbon Cask: 3.5/5 Projects, Tawny #2: 3.5/5 Projects, UnExpeated: 3.75/5 Projects, Peated: 2.75/5 Small Batch, Cherry Wood Smoked: /5 Small Batch, Hungarian Oak: 3/5 Small Batch, Sticky Toffee Apple: 3.25/5 Small Batch, Chardonnay: 4/5 Whisky Loot Single Barrel Single Malt Exclusive: 3.5/5

Solera, finally. Seventeen Starward’s deep and I’ve finally made it to their original bottling. Not too much to preamble this with… Australian malted barley; brewers yeast; Apera casks from McWilliams Winery on the NSW-VIC border re-coopered, shaved, and charred in house; and a traditional Solera process. N: Bright and acidic with some tannic backing. Acidity from apples and then jammy mulled red fruits and plums come through. Tannic oak and a little nuttiness that borders on marzipan sweet. Give enough patience and a nice caramel might just lift out also. P: Rich, and with a lovely toffee texture. Toasted oak is restrained and warm, dark jam with figs, blackcurrant and a tiny floral lift. Milk chocolate and lick of filter coffee carry a waft of burnt caramel with a hint of clove and nutmeg, almost like a custard tart cooked just too long. F: Medium. Juicy and bright with light mocha, more bakery spice, and a hint of old oak shavings This is probably the least ostentatious dram I have come across from Starward. None of the small batch prestige, or projects trumpet blowing. This is quite simply, locally sourced, carefully executed, well made whisky. The result here, is an enjoyable, accessible and good value for money whisky that would be very welcome on my shelf but for one problem. Arran ’The Bodega’ exists, and its AUD$19 cheaper than this and quite a bit better. That said, if you want a good introduction to Starward and a no fuss or frills session whisky, I’d recommend this as a pour well spent. Distiller whisky taste #218 [Pictured here with a fluorite-sphalerite combo from Chihuahua, Mexico. Sphalerite is a zinc sulphide and gets its name from the Greek word for treacherous; as it can easily be mistaken for a few other things. True to its treacherous nature, all you’ll be able to see here is lovely shades of purple from fluorite. Now go brush your teeth.. easy points for understanding that comment]. Starward running scores: Nova: 3/5 Fortis: 3.25/5 Solera: 3.75/5 10th Anniversary: 4.25/5 Vitalis 15th Anniversary: 4.5/5 Whisky Club Exclusive, Maple Cask: 2/5 Whisky Club Exclusive, Cognac Cask: 3.5/5 Projects, Octave Barrels: 3.75/5 Projects, Dolce: 2.25/5 Projects, Bourbon Cask: 3.5/5 Projects, Tawny #2: 3.5/5 Projects, UnExpeated: 3.75/5 Projects, Peated: 2.75/5 Small Batch, Cherry Wood Smoked: /5 Small Batch, Hungarian Oak: 3/5 Small Batch, Sticky Toffee Apple: 3.25/5 Small Batch, Chardonnay: 4/5

Nova is part of the core range along with Fortis and Solera, and their grain counterpart “Two Grain”. Nova spends its life maturing in French oak casks that previously held Australian red wine; Shiraz, Pinot Noir and Cabernet. The casks come from the wineries, are lightly charred or steamed and then the spirit goes in. This is what Starward originally built their identity around; Australian Whisky made with Australian Wine casks. They still claim this is the case, but I’d argue their growing list of offerings flies in the face of that. Anyway, onwards with Nova N: Oak. Oak is definitely first and foremost. A little musty and ever so slightly tobacco tin and leather. If you can get through that, and that is an if… there is a strawberry and blackcurrant jam quality to it with some nutty oiliness. That’s it. Heavy, simple, done. P: Similar to the nose, there is an old musty oak quality to the palate, but its backed by juicer and brighter flavours. Theres a slightly gristy and oaty malt that is passable due to a deft touch of honey. The sweetness slowly builds to a savoury yet creamy vanilla custard presence, the oak has done a good job on that. Deeper into the pour and there is some fresh but muted strawberry and something like nutmeg or cloves, I suspect the red wine tannins are doing their thing. F: Medium. Soft, creamy toffee and a nice zing of baking spice. I was struggling to remember what the Fortis was like for comparison. I drank that back on Distiller whisky taste #71 (29th Sept 2022). I vaguely remember it being enjoyable at the time with no real complaints. I looked at my tasting notes, and with the addition of stating that the Nova nose is a little heavy on the feinty notes, my Fortis closing applies just fine: fairly non distinctive and blends into the masses of which there are many other better, more nuanced, and generally cheaper options. Although inoffensive and not badly made it is sadly forgettable. But, to be fair to it; completely enjoyable whilst in the moment. Distiller whisky taste #217 [Pictured here with six interlocking pyrite cubes from the classic locality of Navajun, Spain. The Pyrite (iron sulphide) grew within a layer of Cretaceous aged limey-muds which were gracious enough to allow the formation of perfect cubes that interlock and form long chains. If you ever see linked cubic chains fo perfect pyrite cubes you would be a fool to think it came from anywhere else. Points if you got the pun] Starward running scores: Nova: 3/5 Fortis: 3.25/5 10th Anniversary: 4.25/5 Vitalis 15th Anniversary: 4.5/5 Whisky Club Exclusive, Maple Cask: 2/5 Whisky Club Exclusive, Cognac Cask: 3.5/5 Projects, Octave Barrels: 3.75/5 Projects, Dolce: 2.25/5 Projects, Bourbon Cask: 3.5/5 Projects, Tawny #2: 3.5/5 Projects, UnExpeated: 3.75/5 Projects, Peated: 2.75/5 Small Batch, Cherry Wood Smoked: /5 Small Batch, Hungarian Oak: 3/5 Small Batch, Sticky Toffee Apple: 3.25/5 Small Batch, Chardonnay: 4/5

Taking a jump forward five years as I move today to another Starward anniversary malt, this time the Vitalis 15th Anniversary bottling. This limited run is a blend of six of their whiskies. There are parcels selected from Tawny (Aussie Port), Bourbon, Apera (first and second fill), and rum barrels. The liquids were aged for anything from four to ten years before being assembled into Vitalis. Apparently though, the star of the show here should be the red win barrels Starward want to be known for. N: Slightly oily with a restrained dark toffee presence. A little mustiness and tiny tannic malt presence, raisins, cocoa powder, cedar chips and maybe tobacco. P: Big, bold, and thick. Initially this hit me with a quite aggressive wave but a more tentative approach is packed with bitter cocoa, a supermarket bakery isles worth of dried fruits, dark chocolate, cinnamon, clove, and black pepper. A touch of espresso, toasty oak, warm malt, and treacle toffee. F: Long. Warming with a gentle balance of oak and red fruits moving towards a oily residual presence. Is that toasted coconut too? Nose not as rich and oozy as its younger 10th anniversary sibling, but dark and powerful in its own right, albeit the mix this time comes across more mature but also a little more harsh for it. The palate is the same story, big, bold, and a truck load of flavour and character, but not as sumptuous as the 10th anniversary. Again, this palate is decadent in a much more robust way. The presence of the Tawny is most definitely felt. The malt and pepper give me flashbacks to the Projects Bourbon Cask, and the dried fruits and chocolaty notes are clearly coming from the Apera and red wine. The vast improvement in this 15th Anniversary comes in the finish, it is much more balanced to the rest of the experience and leaves a satisfying impression. Is this better overall than the 10th anniversary, objectively I think yes. There is no hiding imperfection behind a wall of decadence, this is punchy, developed, and is taking no prisoners; it wont be for everyone, but it is better than the 10th. The more important question though is did I enjoy it more than the 10th? No, not really, they are in different categories and each has their place. A worthy entry from Starward and worth trying I’d say. Distiller whisky taste #216 [Pictured here with a brace of little diamonds from somewhere in the USA. It might be considered that peat > lignite > bituminous coal > anthracite, would mean the next step in the pressure and time continuum is diamonds, but no. Thats a myth. Coal doesn’t form diamonds. But I’ve used my graphite schist (the actual next step) on my Lindores Abbey series, and this pressure and time analogy had to go somewhere. These diamonds are anywhere between 0.9 and 3.5 billion years old, formed at 150-250 km deep in the Earths mantle. Starward here have clearly started producing some real gems themselves after taking time and refining their craft]. Starward running scores: Fortis: 3.25/5 10th Anniversary: 4.25/5 Vitalis 15th Anniversary: 4.5/5 Whisky Club Exclusive, Maple Cask: 2/5 Whisky Club Exclusive, Cognac Cask: 3.5/5 Projects, Octave Barrels: 3.75/5 Projects, Dolce: 2.25/5 Projects, Bourbon Cask: 3.5/5 Projects, Tawny #2: 3.5/5 Projects, UnExpeated: 3.75/5 Projects, Peated: 2.75/5 Small Batch, Hungarian Oak: 3/5 Small Batch, Sticky Toffee Apple: 3.25/5 Small Batch, Chardonnay: 4/5

Taking a break from Starward special releases to focus on a couple of special releases. Wait what? The 10th anniversary edition doesn’t fall under Starwards ‘projects’ or ‘small batch’ releases. Rather this single malt marked their 10th Anniversary. Apparently, this liquid was made from a vatting of 28 casks including the influence of all eight varieties of cask used by Starward up to their 10th Anniversary including red wine, Apera (Aussie Sherry), and Jerez PX. The exact mix is well guarded, but the ginger beer cask (I should track that down) is not in the mix. N: Deep, rich, indulgent yet precise and controlled. Bitter orange, crisp toffee, vanilla, smooth dark chocolate, cherry and jammy fig compote, a whip of leather highlights a buried core of slightly oaky malt. P: Thick, oily, and abundantly excessive in the best of ways. This has so much heft and presence that I can’t help but wonder if maybe I’m eating ice-cream. Sherry soaked raisins and sultans, treacle, apple cider vinegar, plums, mocha, nutmeg and pepper. The leather continues, but this time it doesn’t bring malt, it brings something brighter and greener, almost herbaceous; its refreshing and cleansing. F: Medium. Light blackberry, and a nuttiness with a touch of lemon peel. That nose, crikey. The opera and red wine are the backbone that deliver indulgent richness, but then with utter precision there is enough bitterness to cut through, and a figurative leather whip of sultry texture that pulls back the curtain to showcase a delicate malt. But then the palate comes at you like a freight train, incredible presence of flavours and richness, no rough edges, and an ability to take you deep without effort. But then, it just falls short. The finish just doesn’t stand up to what came before it. On a less massive liquid the finish would undoubtedly be wonderful. But here, it just fades away without making itself well known. An almighty effort from the team at Starward, ten years of practice clearly paid off. Distiller whisky taste #215 [Pictured here with the continued progression from peat to lignite to bituminous coal, now we have anthracite. This lump of carbon comes from the 323-290 million year old South Wales Coalfields. Anthracite is the ultimate transformation of peat. Pressure, over time is transformative. So as for rocks, so for whisky from Starward it seems.] Starward running scores: Fortis: 3.25/5 10th Anniversary: 4.25/5 Whisky Club Exclusive, Maple Cask: 2/5 Whisky Club Exclusive, Cognac Cask: 3.5/5 Projects, Octave Barrels: 3.75/5 Projects, Dolce: 2.25/5 Projects, Bourbon Cask: 3.5/5 Projects, Tawny #2: 3.5/5 Projects, UnExpeated: 3.75/5 Projects, Peated: 2.75/5 Small Batch, Hungarian Oak: 3/5 Small Batch, Sticky Toffee Apple: 3.25/5 Small Batch, Chardonnay: 4/5

Peated Finish is the progression of Starwards original peat experiment; UnExpeated. Like UnExpeated, the Peated Project brings together new world whisky with traditional Islay peated casks. The main difference between this Peated and the UnExpeated is that this one spent more time in barrels (18 months vs 9 months) and a slightly lighter Starward blend was laid down. As with UnExpeated this release was also originally matured in Starwards signature red wine barrels. Overall, Starward were aiming for a deeper and smokier expression that better represented the provenance of the Islay barrels. N: Curiosity strikes again! The nose is inviting, creamy, and soft. Charred juicy stone fruits (think apricot and peach), well balanced bitter chocolate, a hint of espresso, and a toasty barrel presence that leans towards toffee. Is there a malt presence here, maybe; if so its a whisper for me. The peat is subdued and slightly rubbery. P: Slightly thin with a hint of a prickle. Smoke is a frontrunner, this smoke is woody and with an ashy presence. A very light malt presence carries with it peach iced tea, strawberry sweetness, bitter mocha, and some tannic oaks. Well balanced (I think), but a little lacklustre also. F: Medium. Peat remains as a gentle rubbery to medicinal reminder of Islay, a refreshing juiciness comes from the back, and I just about find a preserved lemon note also. The oak comes across slightly like pencil shavings. I was quite excited with this pour coming off the back of the intriguing UnExpeated. But, I am now a bit deflated. The nose whilst curious, mostly due to the contrast with its forerunner, just didn’t deliver the same oomph. The peat that was there felt artificial and too rubbery, losing the nice contrast of fresh and dark. The palate then took a sharp turn towards boring. The peat dries up to leave an ashy woody smoke with none of the salty-BBQ goodness that came from this pours younger brethren. The advertised tropical Starward spirit was more noticeable in the peach and strawberry but it just didn’t deliver the same level of experience as UnExpeated. The finish, the lemon touch was pleasant and well received but the oak had overstayed it’s welcome by this point. Again, these are not Peated whiskies, Starward has taken the easier route to produce something certainly UnExpeated on the one had, but pedestrian and lack lustre on the other. If you want to try an Australian Peated whisky, I have to stand by one of my five stars; Limeburners Darkest Winter. Pricy, but in my mind, worth it. If you want to go Starward though, definitely go with UnExpeated not this one. Distiller whisky taste #214 [Pictured here with the natural progression of lignite from peat; bituminous coal. Again, still not a proper peated whisky, so not a proper peat. But ramping up the peat barrel contact deserves a more evolved kind of coal. Bituminous coal with 60-80% carbon content and a high bitumen content is the result of progressive burial and compaction of lignite. This piece is ~290-354 million years old from the coal measures of Yorkshire, England] Starward running scores: Fortis: 3.25/5 Whisky Club Exclusive, Maple Cask: 2/5 Whisky Club Exclusive, Cognac Cask: 3.5/5 Projects, Octave Barrels: 3.75/5 Projects, Dolce: 2.25/5 Projects, Bourbon Cask: 3.5/5 Projects, Tawny #2: 3.5/5 Projects, UnExpeated: 3.75/5 Projects, Peated: 2.75/5 Small Batch, Hungarian Oak: 3/5 Small Batch, Sticky Toffee Apple: 3.25/5 Small Batch, Chardonnay: 4/5

‘Smoky whisky barrels meet red-wine-barrel-aged single malt. Islay, Scotland melds with Melbourne, Australia. UnExpeated indeed. Peated Australian Whisky is not common, Australian Whisky peated with Australian Peat is even less common. So, this is actually rather Expeated. If you want to avoid the difficulty of using peat in Australia then its arguably easier to piggy back off of the experts on Islay. From Starward “It fuses new world whisky with traditional Islay peated casks, melding our red wine barrel aged Australian single malt whisky, with the peated whisky-drenched casks from Islay, Scotland. It spent close to 9 months in those casks, and according to Head Blender Jarrad the first 6 months of that time were a bit of a gamble as the whisky settled down and began to develop into what you taste today.” I would add that the listing for this bottle is incorrect; this is a peated cask finish whisky, not a peated whisky. The malt has not seen smoke…. Distiller, please allow entries to be edited! N: How curious, light and vibrant with a dark undertone. This instantly gives me vibes of a temperate rain forrest just after the rain. Juicy non distinct fruitiness is layered with a toasty slightly tannic oak, vague hint of leather and cocoa, and then a slightly sweet medicinal peat seems to be inseparable from barley malt. P: The palate is nothing like the nose. Initial rich salty beach bonfire, burnt BBQ glaze, and charred stone fruit. Subsequent sips reveal brighter summer berries, creamy chocolate, and fresh apple acidity. Something at the back end though has an almost artificial outlier that I can’t put my finger on, but it pulls you away from an otherwise interesting and playful profile. F: Medium-long. Lingering slightly peppery coastal smoke, a hint of salt and tar, and rich dark cocoa powder and gentle toffee. Just the slightest metallic residue. Nose a strange medley of profiles that would be more typical of simple malt profiles, rich port casks, and brighter Islay heavyweights. The palate is a surge from the outset and definitely does fulfil Starwards goal of an unexpected combine. The Isaly casks are undeniable and whilst not delicate in presence they do not completely overpower the fresher and juicer red wine barrel contributions Starward is known for. The curious back end of the palate though almost feels like the two components are tearing apart and leaving something untoward in the wake. The finish is well executed and rewards you with each sip. This is not without its faults but is none the less a surprisingly well executed dram, and interesting enough to deliver something against the grain for consideration. Distiller whisky taste #213 [Pictured here, not with another shooting star for Starward, but rather the closest thing I have to peat. This isn’t really a peated whisky, so this isn’t really a piece of peat. This is a lignite, or brown coal, the next step in the burial conversion of peat to true coal. This sample is young, at around 11-18 million years old and comes from the Lower Rhine Basin of Germany.] Starward running scores: Fortis: 3.25/5 Whisky Club Exclusive, Maple Cask: 2/5 Whisky Club Exclusive, Cognac Cask: 3.5/5 Projects, Octave Barrels: 3.75/5 Projects, Dolce: 2.25/5 Projects, Bourbon Cask: 3.5/5 Projects, Tawny #2: 3.5/5 Projects, UnExpeated: 3.75/5 Small Batch, Hungarian Oak: 3/5 Small Batch, Sticky Toffee Apple: 3.25/5 Small Batch, Chardonnay: 4/5

Back in Australia I am picking up where I left off, continuing with the exploration of a dizzying array of Australian liquid from Starward. When I left things I was starting to see promise amongst the many, many releases. The core element (acknowledging I’m yet to sample all the core range) in Starward is a rich and often thick red wine influence that leads to something commonly generic, but; with the right finishing barrels, can develop into something really interesting (like in the octave or chardonnay barrels). Very keen to see where things go now; nine more specials and three core ranges. Sorry if you all get bored. The Tawny #1 was a limited release and sold out in record time. Like Tawny #1, #2 was fully matured in Tawny (read: port) casks (both fresh and charred). The Starward distillers then threw in some puncheon and hogshead barrels apparently in an attempt to showcase the vibrant tropical notes from the spirit profile. N: Thick, dark, and rich. Raisin, plum, caramel-dates, orange peel, a little leather and a warm toasty oak. P: Medium body with a little oily stickiness. The nose delivers what was promised but with a building sweet presence from sticky caramel that moves towards burnt caramel or dark brown sugar with a hint of vanilla. Spices build through the profile offering nutmeg and cinnamon. Bitterness from cocoa adds a little depth and balance and doesn’t quite cross into the territory of leather. F: Medium. A hint of brightness from what feels like cold water with apple and strawberry slices in it is quickly overlain by light toasted oak, light caramel, a smidge of vanilla, and a drying spice mix that adds a dash of black pepper to the mix. What opened with a fairly standard port cask nose was as expected, the palate added a little more intrigue with the, still expected, notes of bitterness from cocoa. This is all well and good and fine, and to be honest, no better or worse than would be expected of middle shelf port casks. Where things took a turn for the interesting and really enjoyable was the finish. The finish, if you look for it, has refreshingly bright acidity from a crisp apple presence and a juicy strawberry. My assumption is that this must be the ‘vibrancy’ of the spirit that the distillers were seeking to showcase, I wouldn’t call them tropical, but they are a welcome addition to a perfectly acceptable dram. That said, for AUD$48 less I can get the 50% Arran Port Cask; thats not fair competition really. Distiller whisky taste #212 [Pictured here with another shooting star for Starward, and picking up exactly where I left off. This is a second slice of a fine octahedrite iron-meteorite has been cut from the Muonionalusta Meteorite. The meteorite fell in northern Scandinavia between Sweden and Finland some 800,000 years ago with the meteorite itself formed during the accretion of our Solar System ~4.6 billion years ago. The intricate pattern seen on these slices is called Widmanstätten Pattern, a complex mineral structure created by long crystals of nickel-iron alloys.] Starward running scores: Fortis: 3.25/5 Whisky Club Exclusive, Maple Cask: 2/5 Whisky Club Exclusive, Cognac Cask: 3.5/5 Projects, Octave Barrels: 3.75/5 Projects, Dolce: 2.25/5 Projects, Bourbon Cask: 3.5/5 Projects, Tawny Batch #2: 3.5/5 Small Batch, Hungarian Oak: 3/5 Small Batch, Sticky Toffee Apple: 3.25/5 Small Batch, Chardonnay: 4/5

To this day I have never once had a Jack Daniels whisky, not even in a whisky cola. I have always held a snobbish rebuke of JD, believing it to represent an inferior and harsh spirit drank exclusively for the sake of getting drunk. Currently sat in the Qatar first class lounge at Heathrow airport after a delightfully successful blag to gain entry I am facing down about six wine and champagne choices alongside Bombay sapphire gin and JD whisky. So here we are… N: Supremely sweet caramel. Perhaps the vaguest hint of oily ness and maybe even a generic spice; but, ultimately I could be convinced of its use as a topping for pancakes with this nose. P: Slightly thin, slightly sticky mouthfeel. Unsurprisingly caramel is abundant with a definite presence of candy bananas (you know the yellow foam ones?), cheap vanilla ice cream and a little presence of spirit. F: Medium. Sticky corn syrup sweetness, a toasty presence and eventually a spirit presence in the back. I’m surprised. I thought this would be paint stripper and a waste of my taste buds. As a cheap, mass produced whisky this isn’t as bad as others. Nothing great, but nothing awful (as long as you don’t mind sweet caramel). I’m glad to have tasted this, and at least now know that I have a safe option should I ever find myself with limited choices. I can’t see any problem with stretching this out over a cola… clearly everyone in dive bars and rock concerts has known something I didn’t all this time… Distiller whisky taste #211