Starward Maple Cask Finish

Nose: Red wine (sigh, it’s a Starward … again), ethanol, stewed mixed fruits, malt extract, golden syrup or molasses. Palate: What the🤔 it can't be 🤨arrrgh😖 how the 😶 I don't feel well🤕 help me 😢 oh lord 😟 errrrrrrrrrrgh 🤢pant … pant 🥴 wipes tears 😢 from eyes. Holy mother of mercy what was that. Excuse me while I go and call Herb on the porcelain telephone … 🤮 heeeeeeerrrrrb 🤮 heeeeeeeeeeeeeerrrrrrrrb 🤮 Finish: I honestly didn’t pay much attention. It probably lasts far too long. This was a sample generously (?) gifted by @DrRHCMadden, who I shall forgive only because in the same box he gifted me a sample of the angelic nectar that is Port Charlotte 2007 CC:01. This … substance … was apparently never released by Starward (NO – REALLY??? – YOU AMAZE ME, HOLMES) who instead bottled it for The Whisky Club. I presume they forced them to take it as part of a contractual agreement. The nose is deceptively agreeable and betrays no hint of the eldritch horrors awaiting in the murky depths of the palate. As soon as it hit my mouth I nearly gagged. It was like a mixture of golden syrup, burnt wood, tannin and new-make whisky. It gets worse as it remains in the mouth, eventually subsiding to a cloying, mouth-coating emulsion of mixed dried fruit and bitter syrup. Maple syrup cask indeed - harrumph 🤬 “Dreadful” : 57/100 (0.25 stars, 3 upchucks 🤮🤮🤮)

Nose: Toffee, Raisin, Pepper Palate: Red Apple, Caramel Finish: Sweet & Spicy

Non-released 200 ml bottling of an experimental batch of whisky from Starward Distillery in Melbourne, Australia. Given away as a referral bonus to members of Australias “The Whisky Club” and bottled sometime in April of 2022. A non age statement whisky that there is little information for, presumably the standard Starward distillate matured in their red wine casks but finished in maple syrup barrels. N: dried fruits expected of a red wine cask are present but a slightly astringent character gets in the way of what may be some rather pleasant leathery and tobacco notes. A little water allows some of the pleasant stuff to come forward. P: an initial sharpness battles with round juicy fruit flavours of raisins and mulled oranges with cloves and spice but this is in equal or lesser measure to a cloying sticky sweetness. Virtually no complexity or layers. Water leaves nothing but sickly sweetness in the mouth. Do not add water. F: the finish is sharp at first but then long and very warm at the back of the throat leaving a lingering stickiness on the palate. Towards the end some of the christmassy mince pie/mulled wine tries to creep back to the spotlight, but it lacks presence. After receiving no less than eight double golds at the San Francisco Spirits Competition Starward are poised as a world whisky heavyweight. They do experimental things, sometimes they work apparently. But, sometimes what looks good on paper turns into a lack lustre disappointment as is the case here. Points for the concept, sure. It is of no surprise though they were not willing to damage their growing reputation by putting a price sticker on this stuff. At least it didn’t go down the drain, I’m sure someone will enjoy it if not for the exclusivity of this little freebie. Distiller whisky taste #34