Starward Cognac Cask

Nose: An unctious nose with a hefty vinous quality to it (red wine casks being very obvious). Ethanol, malt, orchard fruit and a little vanilla. The nose screams “Starward!” to me as the red-wine cask contribution is always there on their whiskies, and it is not subtle. Palate: When neat it is momentarily sweet on the arrival with apples, pears and a little vanilla, but then huge tannins from the oak casks and red wine elbow their way to centre stage and push all the more sensitive actors into the wings. This thuggish crew then belts out a cacophonous drone of pepper, chili and ginger spice that all but drowns out any trace of nuance or style. This drinks far hotter than the 48% abv would suggest – it’s like an unruly cask strength malt. The texture is hefty and a little oily. It is much improved with dilution. Finish: Medium. Oaky and bittersweet, with wine and tannin fighting a duel until the last. This whisky was a limited release bottled by Starward for The Whisky Club in Australia. I’ve finally caught up with my tasting backlog and found this today in my “to-do” sample box. It was gifted to me a while back by @DrRHCMadden. It’s a hot dram and rather boisterous when neat so after the first two sips I had to add some water (about a teaspoon and a half to 25ml). This, and a rest in the glass, made a substantial improvement by taming the ethanol spike on the nose and allowing more subtle wood spice notes to emerge, together with some stewed fruits. On the palate it was also way more manageable with water, the arrival segueing into the later palate more gently. The initial orchard fruits last longer and the hot spices are significantly contained. I noted an apple cider note on both nose and palate once water had been added and the texture gained a creamy quality. Water is not just recommended for this, it should be mandatory Overall a pleasant whisky, if not in my favourite style. Like all the Starwards I’ve tasted to date it was interesting to try but I have no desire to own a bottle. Their spirit is clean and well made (the new-make is pleasant but not the best I’ve tasted) but there is something about this distillery that just does not click with me. I wish they would get over their love affair with ex-red-wine barrels and their obsession with finishing casks and instead just mature in ex-bourbon casks with a heavy char. I think it would work wonders for the spirit. “Above Average” : 82/100 (3.25 stars)

Taking a momentary pause from distillery focused tastings to open this limited release. First though, two points to address. This whisky is a limited release made available from Australia’s subscription monthly whisky service “The Whisky Club”. I have complained to people about them before for being a bit crap and peddling exclusive releases that are really not worth the hype or additional $15 postage. I have tried a few from TWC before, and have bought one, the Bladnoch Embers, that even impressed the Oracle @cascode. Having recently very much enjoyed cognac casking, i couldn’t resist this one. Secondly, Starward. *Sigh* Starward are the biggest distributors and producers of Australian Whisky. They have recently got massive spotlight attention for winning eight double golds at the San Fran Spirts Comp and title of worlds best distillery. However, I have found the few I have tried to date, just about average. I have also complained about all the experimental barrels to play with that they then peddle as special and exclusive. Gah. But again, cognac casks! So, the whisky: here we have standard Starward distillate matured in red wine barrels which is their signature style but then a second maturation (~1 year) in Limousin Oak French Cognac casks. I am pleading with the whisky gods that this is deserving of such premiere wood… N: Luscious arrival with a little bit of ethanol burn. Thick with red berries, apples and pears and perhaps stone fruit. This is an orchard in autumn. Why autumn? Well there is a little bit of warming wood and cinnamon spice. To round everything out and deliver it the nose is wrapped in a lightly vanilla caramel. Punchy, bold and heavy. No subtlety; but good all the same. Over time things turn ever so slightly sour and after a few sips a little apple cider vinegar maybe. P: thick and creamy to oily. The oak is the most apparent note straight away and it has imparted a butteriness that delivers a somewhat heavy handed smack of wood spice. Beyond the smack, there is a little honey sweetness, a nutty chocolate, and some ginger to chilli heat. Very simple at first taste, and I’m going to need to come back in with some water… F: Medium-long. Lots of oak with some sweetness and a little coconut cream. I’m reminded a little of Malibu rum. A few drops of water cuts straight through the little ethanol prickle on the nose and the wood spice softens and allows the fruity caramel to really do its thing. The slightly sour apple cider note has faded. That note is interesting as its the same one I found in the cognac finished Balvennie I tasted back at taste #101. I think its safe to say its a cognac thing. Water takes the heavy handed smack of spice and really unravels it. The palate is so much more velvety and creamy the spices stretch to nutmeg, cinnamon, tannic tartness. Great. The chocolaty nuttiness is pretty much bang on a chocolate dipped gingerbread man biscuit. There is perhaps also a slight citrus spritz, orange. This is my fourth Starward distiller taste, and to date everything has been around average, not befitting the hype. This one though, the best yet. It’s not as delicate as I was hoping for but it abounds with flavours. I think a little air in the bottle and some time to mellow will do a little bit of good here. Both the whisky club and Starward are given some much needed points in my ledger. [Pictured here with a cute little rock in a rock from the Bunger Hills of Antarctica. Here we have a very high temperature metamorphic granulite (stained red by iron weathering) that has origins 1.7 billion years ago intruded by a tiny little black basalt dyke from 1.14 billion years ago.] Distiller whisky taste #131 *If you’ve read this far, you get to partake in my post christmas tasting decision making. Where do i go first: 11 deep in Highland Park and some pretty special bottles from them, or seven deep in London based Bimber?* **Also, Distiller App people e.g., @mikael, cab you make it so that user added bottles can be edited? This is not a Cognac cask, it is a red wine cask with Cognac finishing. Details matter**