Starward Fortis

Tasting notes from Dan Murphy’s Australian Whisky. Another blind sample from a highly-regarded product. Starward recently achieved significant recognition at the San Francisco spirits competition, earning eight double golds and the title of most awarded distillery of the year. However, I have yet to be truly impressed by their offerings. They've been decent, but not remarkable. Nose: Artificial strawberry reminiscent of candy, wine-like, and milk chocolate with hints of caramel and a subtle ethanol presence. Palate: Fruit preserves, a touch of oaky tannin, sweet dried fruits, and a buttery toffee character. Remarkably smooth for being 50% ABV. Finish: A very extended finish. Vanilla persists, with toasted notes and a hint of berry. Quite generic, easily mistaken for a sherried Speyside, which are superior in nuance and usually more affordable. While pleasant and well-crafted, it ultimately fades into forgettable territory. However, to be fair, it is enjoyable in the moment. My final assessment: just another average Starward. I feel a bit disappointed, as I expected it to impress, especially given the hype from the SFSC 8 double gold awards.

It has cherry sweetness, berries, and a chemical, high pep bubble gum sweetness. It's creamy, and has a nail polish note. Delicate, with oak and wood present. You detect high pep, and bitterness at the finish. It has a long-lasting oak and pep flavor. Starward Fortis has sweetness like cotton candy, high pep, and artificial apple syrup. It also has blackcurrant jam. There's no peat or smoke, just a unique medicinal cough syrup flavor. The sweetness is like cotton candy with high pep. It has a grain-like quality and a unique taste that doesn't seem like barley. It takes a few sips to really appreciate. It's actually quite smooth and easy to drink. The finish is of medium length with light oak and very little smoke.

The nose is quite potent, causing your nasal hairs to stand on end, with notes of leather and a touch of vanilla. The palate presents sweet fruits, perhaps a hint of sourness, and a caramel flavor that transitions into a robust, warming burn that lingers briefly. Overall, this is a solid whisky, not for the easily overwhelmed, possessing pleasant flavors.

On the nose, expect figs, vanilla, raisins, and a subtle spicy leather. The palate offers berry cobbler with spices and cloves, influenced by the American oak and red wine barrels, possibly with a faint touch of mint. It's sweet with a decent burn at 50% ABV. A tasty pour overall, but best enjoyed in small amounts due to its high proof and price.

A delightful nose with hints of tannins and caramel, along with dried fruit. The body is intriguing, featuring excellent tannins, chocolate, caramel (remarkably!), and blackberries, leading to a medium-long finish.

Sampled as part of a whisky tasting. Drank it neat. It smells of tobacco and leather. I also got banana bread and caramel. It was smooth with a moderate amount of spice.