Starward Projects Tawny #2

Back in Australia, I'm resuming my deep dive into Starward's extensive range. I'm starting to find promising expressions among the numerous offerings. Starward's core characteristic, aside from its yet-to-be-fully-sampled core range, is a rich, often viscous red wine influence that can be quite common, but with suitable finishing casks, it can become truly exceptional (as seen with the octave or chardonnay barrels). I'm eager to see what unfolds with nine more special releases and three core ranges. My apologies if this becomes repetitive. The Tawny #1 was a limited release that sold out rapidly. Similar to Tawny #1, this second iteration was fully matured in Tawny (port) casks, both new and charred. The Starward distillers also incorporated some puncheon and hogshead barrels, presumably to highlight the spirit's vibrant tropical characteristics. Nose: Dense, dark, and rich. Notes of raisin, plum, caramel-dates, orange zest, a hint of leather, and warm, toasted oak. Palate: Medium-bodied with a slight oily texture. The nose's promise is delivered, accompanied by a growing sweetness from sticky caramel that evolves into burnt caramel or dark brown sugar with a whisper of vanilla. Spices emerge, offering nutmeg and cinnamon. Cocoa's bitterness provides depth and balance without leaning into leather notes. Finish: Medium length. A touch of brightness, like chilled water with apple and strawberry slices, is quickly followed by light toasted oak, mild caramel, a hint of vanilla, and a drying spice blend with a dash of black pepper. What began as a fairly typical port cask nose delivered as expected, with the palate adding more intrigue through the anticipated cocoa bitterness. This is perfectly acceptable and standard for mid-tier port cask expressions. The truly interesting and enjoyable aspect emerged in the finish. If you pay attention, the finish offers a refreshingly bright acidity from crisp apple and juicy strawberry. I suspect this is the 'vibrancy' the distillers aimed to showcase; while not distinctly tropical, they are a welcome addition to an otherwise solid dram. However, for AUD$48 less, the 50% Arran Port Cask offers comparable quality, making this a challenging comparison. [Pictured with another shooting star nod to Starward, this is a second slice of a fine octahedrite iron meteorite from the Muonionalusta Meteorite. It fell in northern Scandinavia between Sweden and Finland approximately 800,000 years ago, with the meteorite itself forming around 4.6 billion years ago during our Solar System's accretion. The intricate pattern, known as the Widmanstätten Pattern, is a complex mineral structure formed by long crystals of nickel-iron alloys.] Starward running scores: 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 Projects, Tawny Batch #2: 3.5/5 Small Batch, Hungarian Oak: 3/5 Small Batch, Sticky Toffee Apple: 3.25/5 Small Batch, Chardonnay: 4/5