Tastes

I’ve heard some big things about this monster of a dram. 57.1% ABV, phew this is likely going to rock my socks off, and I’d expect nothing less from a whisky named after a freaking whirlpool. N: Wonderfully phenolic, bold, and rich. There is a well balanced intensity of a rotisserie chicken, creamy butter, some pine, fresh cold maritime air mingles with light herbal smoke and tarry-antiseptic. Beautiful. P: Intensely ashy arrival with a healthy creamy backdrop. Lemon, a little anise, charcoal. Big dry-oakiness, dark fruit compote adds a vaguest hint of sweetness, espresso, bacon grease. There is almost too much going on here, spices are punchy and the thread of antiseptic that runs through everything does a remarkable job of keeping everything tied together. The smokiness is vibrant and somewhat piney/menthol. Monster of a palate. F: Long. Warming, lemon, cocoa powder, cinnamon and pepper, salty smoke. Deliciously dry. I’ve hit this with about a teaspoon of water and let it sit for few minutes. The nose softens and brings the smoke forward with the antiseptic moving into sinus opening menthol territory, saltiness dials up a little. The palate loses a little spice, charcoal comes through and the lemon heads towards the territory of a sharp mandarin. Fruity dark sweetness unfolds into some cherry and blackcurrant. The finish loses a little dryness. Cripes, I knew this would be a heavy hitter but I wasn’t expecting to actually get sucked into a whirlpool. This is an unrelenting monster that doesn’t stop coming at you with waves of flavours and textures. Heavy hitting notes are tempted by a surprising softness and just enough sweetness to keep it approachable, and at times even delicate. Well played Ardbeg, that was delicious. Distiller whisky taste #225 [Pictured here with another wee beastie, apparently that will now be the Ardbeg rock theme. This beastie is from the genus Cyphaspis, a 395 Ma trilobite that called the ancient sea floor of what is now Erfoud in Morocco home. The name cyphaspis means ‘devil horned’ in reference to its long spines, the purpose of which are still not understood. The physiological features of these devil horned beasties means they were fast carnivores.] Ardbeg running scores: Ardbeg 10: 4.25/5 Wee Beastie: 3/5 Corryvreckan: 4.5/5

It’s been a beast of a week. And what should of been an Ardbeg every night of the week has not come to pass. Still, Wee Beastie is in the glass and I am pumped. Off the heels of a very solid open on Ardbeg 10, the Wee Beastie comes in at 5 y/o and offers a mix of ex-Bourbon and Olorosso casking. N: Sharp and punchy, the peat is a little damp and mulchy and gives a rotten wood on the bonfire kind of effect to the smokiness. Behind that though are some toffee, candy sweetness, stewed baking apples, a little sherbet like lemon sourness and an all encompassing salty-oily-peppery-wooded medley. The nose feels young, but it also has a lovely playfulness that is quite enticing. P: A little thin on arrival. Sweetness and black pepper add a surprising brightness to a sharp dilute lemon squash soaked peatyness. The smoke is salty but a little harsh. Sweetness develops with successive sips and leans towards stone fruits like lychee and nectarine with maybe some ginger-caramel. Theres nothing particularly special here, its on the aggressive side and if anything is a little underdeveloped. F: Surprisingly long. Oily, peppery, preserved lemon and mulchy peat. The smoke loses out in the finish. The name Wee Beastie and a 5 year age statement primed me into thinking this was going to be a vibrant, exciting version of the standard 10 year old, albeit a little less nuanced and refined. It’s not quite that in my mind. The nose is the stand out, theres plenty of big bold notes and lots to get excited about but from there it kind of goes down hill into mediocrity. The excellent notes of lemon, sea air influence and delicately perfumed smoke are just not there. A sweetness replaces these that makes the dram seem like a budget blend rather than a gatekeeper of whisky excellence (that I believe Ardbeg are regarded to be). This isn’t a wee beastie, its just a wee impersonation of something quite excellent. That said, its still good. Onwards we forge… Distiller whisky taste #224 [Pictured here with a Dicranurus monstrous, a real wee beastie. This is a trilobite, a type of marine arthropod from the Devonian Period. These horned monsters are found in Morocco, Oklahoma, and New York. This ones from Morocco. The incredible spines used to be thought of as adaptations for fighting but the position behind the delicate exposed eyes makes this unlikely. They were almost certainly a defensive mechanism against predators and an anti sinking aid for the soft sea floor mud they lived and fed on. A recent hypotheses has speculated that the spines hosted organisms called bryozoans (similar to corals), meaning the spines were like a palaeozoic ghille suit. What a wee beastie!] Ardbeg running scores: Ardbeg 10: 4.25/5 Wee Beastie: 3/5

I’m excited. After suffering at the hands of boredom with an extended run of Starwards I’m pleased to have something dark and wintery to carry me through the next few weeks of horrible Perth winter. I hope Islay and Ardbeg don’t let me down. Starting out with a throw back to March 19th 2022, my first and only Ardbeg and Distiller taste #16. N: Lightly oily and powerfully phenolic this cuts to the chase. Lemon, furniture wax, a sea breeze, a sharp spice note and delicate perfume like smoke. Rather than being dark and brooding (which I had expected) this is fresh and quite bright. P: Big, bold, smoke with beautiful oiliness. More lemon brings acidity and surprising sweetness. Some richer textures and flavours from a vanilla toffee or caramel, strong black tea, anise. The smoke is vaguely herbal with a little brine and hot tar. Everything works so well; brightness and acidity, soft rich textures, sweetness, a little bitterness… its all here. F: Long. A little darker now, like clouds rolling in over the coast. Salty smoke, bitter lemon, and a slight vanilla sweetness holding off a little bit of obtrusive heat. Powerful and delicate in equal measure. There is a generous volume of flavour carefully delivered with poise and a delicate touch. There is little to say here as I am thinking this should rate as a whisky to try before you die. The value for money is exceptional. What a wonderful dram for a 10 year old standard offering, and what I hope is a good omen for the next five drams to come. *** March 19th 2022 - 4/5 N: fresh, cut grass, crisp, gentlest smoke, slightly briny. P: powerful but refined smoke, herbaceous, citrus. F: fresh smoke, salty brine, creamy vanilla Distiller whisky taste #16 [Pictured here with an interesting piece showing cockscomb barytes crystallised ontop of finely crystalline galena (lead sulphide) on top of a Carboniferous limestone host. This piece is from Bridgwater in Somerset, England. The baryte (A barium sulphate) contains impurities of iron oxide colouring it a lovely burnt orange. During WWII baryte was sought highly for its use in making munitions (barium is a very dense metal), nowadays it is mainly used in oil and gas drilling to counter well pressures and blow outs. I think all this heavy metal is a fitting for an introduction to Ardbeg.] Ardbeg running scores: Ardbeg 10: 4.25/5

Twenty-one. Twenty-one Starward whisky’s have now been poured into my glass. My word, this has been a tumultuous journey. More on that below. First this last entry into the Starward Saga. La Maison du Whisky, founded in 1956, is an upmarket spirits distributor with exclusive rights to over 250 brands around the world and around 4000 individual product. Here, like the last entry from Sydneys the Oak Barrel, is another Starward Exclusive. From what I can tell this whisky is made from golden barely grown in Victoria, Australia, and distilled in Starwards copper stills. This is standard. I am unclear if this saw time in Starwards red wine casks, then was finished in brandy casks. Or was fully matured in brandy casks. Apparently some of the maturation was conducted in France? I don’t know. And to be honest, 21 deep; I don’t really care. I want to drink other things. Barrel number 9171 filled June 2017 and 228 bottles filled April 2022 at 50% ABV. Shall we get this over with now? N: A bright and acidic presence that leads the way with pillowy marshmallow, crisp apple, brioche, pear drops and a bright strawberry and stone fruit. Warming oak spice and an empty bag of liquorice allsorts. P: Theres a lot to unpack here. Thick and luscious arrival with a hint of tannic burn. Thick slightly sour apple drenched in warm brittle toffee with a vaguely smoky presence that must be from toast on the barrel. Sweetness and some gingery-chilli heat lift the palate and add some almost turkish delight and blossom elements that layer delicate complexity. Theres a clean vanilla ice-cream here too, sometimes, perhaps hidden by a little milk chocolate covered coffee bean. This is complex liquid to be sure. F: Long. Slightly waxy, lots of orange blossom and floral presence, candied ginger, coconut and the greasy oiliness of a walnut jar, and a lingering oak tannin that keeps things pleasantly dry. Distiller whisky taste #131, Starward Whisky Club Exclusive Cognac Cask. I thought I’d have a solid ‘good’ performance to match that. Or the apple bomb that was the Sticky Toffee Apple Starward (#205) I was wrong. Those bottles wish they were this. I just poured another Cognac cask Starward to double check, and that is a dumbed down, softened and creamy imitation of this. My word, I saved a good one until last. I don’t know what sorcery was performed here, but everything works so damn well. The nose is all kinds of refreshing and crisp. Summery and light the nose manages to be sweet, rich, acidic and fruity, yet still balanced with effective wood spice and the deftest liquorice. The palate comes in with unexpected lightness of flavours. The palate delivers big on flavour but in no way is it heavy handed. This is like a rapier compared with a battle axe. The florals and light middle eastern influences of rosewater and blossoms are just magic. The finish, a simple extension of the palate with added oiliness. What surprises me here is that the self proclaimed ‘tropical spirit’ style that Starward are so proud to boast is most evident in the two wood smoked casks where they are detracting presences. But here, they are evident as stone fruit in the nose and coconut in the finish. They compliment the floral heavy delicate flavours and textures of this liquid wonderfully. Do I have faults here, yes, I guess the palate has some elements (the chocolate softer notes) that could have been better developed, and at times the oak spice becomes a little too prominent. But, this is easily up there as one of the top three stand outs from the twenty-one Starwards I’ve run down. So. Starward. A powerhouse of Australian whisky production that is still tiny on the global stage. A deal with the devil so to speak allows them to pump out big volume at what is a low price for Aussie sauce. Clearly part of the money talk involved making profits. The easiest way to do that seems to be: make a core range, then peddle whatever you can as single barrel exclusives, projects, and small batches. Overall, twenty-one drams and I average out with a score of 3.3/5. Thats better than good. But a closer look and that score has a big spread of 2-4.75. The top of the pack are easy picks, the two anniversary editions they were just well made and tasty, and the delicate chardonnay and this apple brandy limited runs. The funny thing about those is; they don’t rely on the signature red wine style. Thats a shame, the thing I find best about Starward isn’t the thing that Starward should be best at. For anyone wanting to try Starward, stick to the Solera, its the least ostentatious, carefully made whisky that succeeds in being accessible, enjoyable and reasonable middle shelf value for money. The 10th and 15th Anniversary editions are suave, rich, and mature and show what the Staward team are capable when focused and single minded. If you want to pay top dollar for something intriguing and interesting then perhaps the delicacy of the Chardonnay cask or this Apple Brandy are worth a hunt, but I probably wouldn’t go hunting for these myself, the effort and cost vs pay off is just not there. Anyway, if you’ve been following along for the ride, thanks. I have some fun stuff lined up: Ardbegs, Spring Bays, and Taliskers. Oh for fecks sake; I didn’t do Starward Two Grain! Distiller whisky taste #223 [Pictured here with a metallic blue lump of bornite, a copper iron sulphide mineral. This lump is from Katanga in the Congo. That is all I care to say about this, Starward has left me dazed and confused and I’m going to need a minute.] 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, Mesquite 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 Smoke & Mirrors Single Cask Oak Barrel Exclusive: 3.75/5 Ex-Apple Brandy LMDW Antipodes Single Cask: 4.5/5 'Brandy' cask running scores: Port Charlotte CC:01 - 5/5 Starward Ex-Apple Brandy LMDW Single Cask: 4.5/5 Talisker X Parley Wilder Seas - 4.25/5 Arran Rare Batch 17 y/o Calvados - 3.75/5 Balvenie 16 French Oak Pineau Cask Finish - 3.5/5 Starward Cognac Cask - 3.5/5 Starward Small Batch, Sticky Toffee Apple - 3.25/5 Glenfiddich Orchard Experiment 2.75/5

The Oak Barrel is a fairly elite independent liquor specialist shop in Sydney, Australia first established in 1956. Holding a fair bit of sway in the Australian whisky scene they get a fair few bottle shop exclusives. I looked this up on their website and my word it sounds like peddling snake oil… “This comes from five separate 50 litre casks, all deemed too unique – or exciting – to blend away into the core releases they were intended for. They were vatted together into a 200-litre barrel (#109) for eight months. Amongst those five casks were two first fill apera, two second-fill apera and one Pedro Ximenez barrel. The first fill aperas are the youngest, coming in at five years old. The youngest spirit here was distilled 28 August 2015. The second-fill aperas were distilled significantly earlier and would now be nine-and-a-half years old [in 2020]. The PX cask is the earliest fill of the bunch, having been distilled 1 November 2010. This barrel was bottled in the last week of October 2020, just days before that spirit would have turned ten.” For my Australian audience (of one, @cascode ) Dave Withers was the whisky expert at the Oak Barrel, worked closely with Dave Vitale of Starward to set up their ‘Projects’ then jumped ship to set up the dizzying complexity of Archie Rose. I understand Starwards premise so much better now. Bottled at 57.5% ABV there were 250 bottles at AUD$199 a pop. N: In the words of Matthew McConaughey, alright alright alright. Big, bold. Packed with brown sugar toffee, dark old mellow oak tannin, malty toast and nuttiness, leathery opulence and dark red figs, cherries and brighter banana and strawberry. This is a smorgasbord nose of thick heavy oomph. No hint at all of the 57.5% ABV. Well played. P: Full bodied, soft, creamy… moorish. So very dark, tannic spices roll and wrap with a hint of stone fruit sweetness and orange zest before serving up some biscuity malt, deep dark dried fruits and some dark bitter marmalade. F: Long. A little too bitter perhaps the wood maybe overdone, but a nice menthol type lift keeps it in check and supports the fading clove and pepper spice. Water stretches everything out, reveals a vinegar sourness and acidity to the nose, adds more caramel to the palate and curbs the bitterness for a short spell before it returns in the late finish. The nose here is very reminiscent of the 10th Anniversary bottling. Indulgent richness with a leathery whip of precision texture and balance. The palate was good and again, comparable to the 10th anniversary bottle, but perhaps lacking int he nuttiness and slight acidity that was present in that one. A bit better than good though. The finish stands on its own, bitterness is a standout trait that hasn’t been present in the nineteen Starwards and counting so far (if I recall correctly). It’s not the best finish, but its different, and holds interest; and thats not a bad thing here. Overall this was pretty darn good, some things were done excellently to outstandingly (the nose), others just a solid showing (palate), and then some middle of the road interesting but not necessarily good aspects (finish). These variable characteristics make it hard to place. It’s punchy, but not as refined as the 10th and 15th anniversary editions (4.25, 4.5), not as delicate and nuanced as the chardonnay (4). I think this sits alongside the Octave Barrels as a good to excellent independent bottling that none of us will likely ever own or taste again. Distiller whisky taste #222 [Pictured here with a rather pretty Chalcopyrite from Morocco. Chalcopyrite is a copper iron sulphide mineral. Fools gold with added copper. Typically formed through volcanic-hydrothermal fluid processes that can completely replace and overprint the original rocks the eventual ore is found in. A beautiful yellow-gold colour chalcopyrite tarnishes to a very cool ‘peacock’ ore with purple-blue iridescence.] 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, Mesquite 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 Smoke & Mirrors Single Cask Oak Barrel Exclusive: 3.75/5

Oh hooray, Starward number 19. So close to the end now. This is the follow up sibling to the first Small Batch Cherry Wood release. The barley for this Small Batch was smoked with Mesquite Wood Chips like some kind of Argentine BBQ, and like the Cherry Wood, is rumoured to have been matured in Apera barrels. . Formerly available from the distillery cellar door only, the 55% ABV was sold as 500 ml bottles for AUD$399. Despite saying 660 on the bottle, apparently only 300 bottles were produced. I was disappointed by the Cherry Wood, I am hoping this does no worse. N: Quite a vibrant smoke on the nose there is a oily-perfume like fragrance mixing with earthiness and just a twang of metallic notes. A slightly sickly fruit sweetness, adds some distracting complexity that isn’t really needed. P: Slightly abrasive astringency is the first thing I notice. Not a great start. the smoke isn’t powerful or overwhelming, its actually rather lovely and restrained, like catching the smell of a BBQ from down the street. But that dryness pulls the enjoyment away. Something like a young bright malt tries to get through, but falls short. Just nothing here to comment on. F: Long. Some woody tannins and a hint of banana and fruit juice give way to a steadily building chilli heat that is about the most lively aspect of the whole profile. Adding water, nah, adds ashiness to the mix, does nothing for it. Right then, I’m conflicted. The nose had some nice elements; I am a fan of catching whiffs of bbq drifting in the window. But thats where the enjoyment stops. Similar to the Cherry Wood the spirit presence is felt as a sourness, less developed here than in the Cherry Wood but here all the same. The nutty-oiliness I stretched to find in the Cherry Wood is here more prominently. But there is no real development to speak of. From there the palate and finish are pedestrian and almost borderline a literal one trick pony. There is nothing here. Generic whisky with a touch of mild fragrant wood smoke. No development, no nuance, nothing. My conflicting then. This isn’t as conflicting and jarring as the Cherry Wood smoked, there isn’t a sweet sugary beat stick of sour tropical soda pop. But then again I guess it is hard to mess flavours up when there are all but one. What this lacks in poor execution it makes up for in overwhelming blandness. Overall, both better and worse than its sibling. Lets leave smoking to the professionals Starward, hey? Post script. I am wondering if I miss something. My Starwards are all over the shop, and I am wondering yet again if I need to readopt my rank amateur status and start warning people that my rambling reviews are exactly that; the rambling musings of a rock addled whisky numpty. Distiller whisky taste #221 [Pictured here with a dendritic wire of native silver. Argentum, latin for shining or white, is where silver derives its name, and its element symbol Ag. Silver is cool it has the highest electrical and thermal conductivity and brightness of any metal. This silver is from Elura in New South Wales, Australia where it formed from hot fluids passing through some Early Devonian aged limestones and silts/muds. It shines (kind of). This whisky, not so much] 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, Mesquite 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

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