Starward Unexpeated

A marriage of whisky aged in smoky barrels and single malt finished in red wine casks. Islay, Scotland, meets Melbourne, Australia. Truly unexpected. Peated Australian Whisky is uncommon, and Australian Whisky peated with Australian peat is even rarer. So, this is actually quite expected. Avoiding the challenge of using peat in Australia arguably makes it easier to rely on the expertise from Islay. From Starward: “It blends new world whisky with traditional Islay peated casks, combining our red wine barrel aged Australian single malt whisky with peated whisky-soaked casks from Islay, Scotland. It spent nearly 9 months in those casks, and according to Head Blender, the initial 6 months were a risk as the whisky settled and developed into its current taste.” I'd also point out the bottle description is inaccurate; this is a peated cask finish, not a peated whisky. The malt itself hasn't been exposed to smoke. Please, allow entries to be modified! Nose: Curious, light, and vibrant with a dark undertone. It immediately evokes the feeling of a temperate rainforest after a shower. Subtle, indistinct fruity sweetness is layered with toasted, slightly tannic oak, a faint trace of leather and cocoa, and then a mildly sweet, medicinal peat that seems inseparable from the barley malt. Palate: The palate is entirely different from the nose. Initially, it presents a rich, salty beach bonfire, burnt BBQ glaze, and charred stone fruit. Subsequent sips reveal brighter summer berries, creamy chocolate, and the acidity of fresh apple. However, something at the finish is an almost artificial outlier that I can't quite identify, detracting from an otherwise engaging and playful character. Finish: Medium-long. A lingering, slightly peppery coastal smoke, with hints of salt and tar, and rich dark cocoa powder alongside gentle toffee. A very slight metallic residue is present. The nose is a peculiar mix of profiles more typical of simple malts, rich port casks, and bold Islay spirits. The palate is powerful from the start and certainly achieves Starward's aim of an unexpected combination. The Islay casks are evident, and while not subtle, they don't completely overwhelm the fresher, juicier red wine barrel characteristics Starward is known for. The peculiar finish, however, almost feels like the two components are diverging, leaving something unintended behind. The finish is well-executed and rewarding with every sip. Despite its flaws, it's a surprisingly well-crafted dram, interesting enough to offer something unconventional for consideration. Whisky taste entry #213 [Pictured here is not another shooting star for Starward, but the closest I have to peat. This isn't truly a peated whisky, so this isn't actually a piece of peat. It's lignite, or brown coal, the stage before peat transforms into true coal through burial. This sample is young, about 11-18 million years old, from the Lower Rhine Basin in Germany.] Starward current 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 #2: 3.5/5 Projects, UnExpeated: 3.75/5 Small Batch, Hungarian Oak: 3/5 Small Batch, Sticky Toffee Apple: 3.25/5 Small Batch, Chardonnay: 4/5

The aroma is intensely sweet golden maple syrup with prominent passionfruit/pineapple. It smells like a sweet Japanese spirit with a faint hint of smoke. The taste offers smoky coastal notes, akin to Talisker but softened by raspberry jam. Milk chocolate develops into a dry pepperiness. It significantly dries the palate. The finish is long and peat-driven, leaving a warming sensation. An interesting and complex spirit overall.

Upfront lemon citrus and smoke on the nose. The palate has notes of red wine and peat. The finish is ashy peat. While the distillery for the finishing cask isn't named, I'm strongly suspecting Ardbeg based solely on the aroma (Caol Ila is my distant second choice).

Reminds me of the Australian wilderness. Every taste is a real journey. This one is a tricky character. It's a heavy sherry expression with some underlying peatiness. Notes of vanilla, jam, soap, and coriander are present.

Smells like strawberry preserves and offers some heat. A mild to moderate smokiness appears, especially as it concludes. It's commendable for being quite unique, but it wouldn't join my collection.

Day 23 of family advent reading and day 23 of the peaty advent calendar. Sweet, slightly fruity nose. Almost a syrupy flavor.