Starward Bourbon Cask

Continuing my focused dive into Starward distillery, I've opened the Starward Projects Bourbon Cask. The Starward Projects line is a venture where Starward distillers experiment with various whiskies to craft distinctive and flavor-forward expressions. Each bottling is limited and disappears once sold out. This particular edition was capped at 1,200 bottles and initially cost AUD$139, but now fetches around AUD$230 if you can locate it. This Projects release is said to be an 'extremely popular' bottling, marking the first Starward that doesn't incorporate red wine influences. This represents a significant shift for Starward: a single malt whisky aged entirely in bourbon barrels. Specifically, four barrels from Maker's Mark and Wild Turkey have aged for four and a half years in Melbourne, allowing the barrels to highlight Starward's spirit. Nose: Gentle, vibrant, and green. A touch of ethanol is present, but there's an intense burst of green banana, slightly tart pineapple, smooth vanilla-white chocolate, and zesty crisp apple. It maintains good harmony, though the overall aroma might be a bit subdued. Palate: A smooth to creamy texture. It's surprisingly buttery, with notes of caramel biscuit, gooseberry and grilled pineapple, toasted coconut, and a subtle oily nuttiness. The malt character is quite understated, but what's there beneath the barrel influence tastes like a buttery shortbread biscuit. As refreshing and easygoing as this palate is, a warming peppery heat gradually builds. Finish: Medium length. Vanilla cream and coconut with honey and a touch of demerara sugar. Drinking this has brought to mind one of my favorite Australian producers, Limeburners, and their American Oak release. This Starward Projects Bourbon Cask, much like Limeburners AO, is accessible and enjoyable as a revitalizing, light, and effortless drink. However, where this Starward falls short is in the presence of the underlying malt, or rather, its slight lack thereof. While there's a delicate buttery shortbread biscuit note, the barrels are doing the vast majority of the work. More malt on the palate and finish would elevate this significantly. Bottle size is 500 ml. [Featured here alongside another shooting star for Starward. This modest little specimen is one of the most prized objects in my collection, and possibly one of the most scientifically significant items on Earth. It's a type of meteorite known as a carbonaceous chondrite. Chondrites get their name from the tiny spherical inclusions called chondrules, which are the most intact chemical remnants from the early solar system and the fundamental components of planets. Earth is approximately 4.54 billion years old, but these chondrules date back to around 4.567 and 4.68 billion years old. This meteorite was discovered near Erfoud, Morocco.] Starward current ratings: 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 Small Batch, Hungarian Oak: 3/5

It took me two tastings with friends to fully appreciate it. Pineapple, vanilla, and caramelized tropical fruits. My favorite Starward.

Scent: sawdust Taste: very light, citrusy Finish: short This is not among my preferred selections from the Starward range.