Starward Australian Malt Whisky

Starward is an award-winning Australian whisky distillery based in Melbourne. Founded by David Vitale in 2007, the company officially trades as New World Whisky Distillery Pty Ltd, though it is globally recognised by its brand name, Starward. They are particularly known for breaking traditional conventions by maturing their single malt and double-grain whiskies entirely in local Australian red wine barrels, such as Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon.

The distillery utilises Melbourne’s fluctuating climate to accelerate the aging process and remains committed to using 100% local ingredients. Their core range includes Starward Nova, a signature Single Malt fully matured in red wine barrels featuring notes of red berries and soft spice, and Starward Two-Fold, a double-grain whisky made from wheat and malted barley with a lighter, tropical profile. Additionally, they produce Starward Left-Field, a variation matured in French oak red wine casks that provides a rich and spicy mouthfeel.

Distillery bottlings are, as the name suggests, bottled by or for the distillery from which the whisky has originated and are thus often referred to as Official Bottlings or OBs. Distillery bottlings are generally more desirable for collectors and usually fetch higher prices at auction than independent bottlings. They are officially-endorsed versions of the whisky from a particular distillery and are therefore considered the truest expression of the distillery’s character.

This ideal of the distillery character is regarded so seriously by the distilleries and brand owners that casks of whisky that are considered to vary too far from the archetype are frequently sold on to whisky brokers and independent bottlers. When this happens, it is often with the proviso that the distillery’s name is not allowed to be used when the cask is bottled for fear of diminishing or damaging the distillery’s character and status.