An awesome Australian whisky awaits those who open window #2 of their Drinks by the Dram’s Whisky Advent Calendar…
Christmas is at the beginning of the summer holidays for Australians. You may have previously heard of folks enjoying Boxing Day barbecues* and trips to the beach. Frankly, I don’t know how we convince #WhiskySanta to spend so much of the season around MoM Towers. He does love a surf, our festive friend.
Anyway, the reason why I brought all of that up is that today there’s an Australian whisky behind window #2 of your Advent calendars… Starward Nova!
Who else? Starward has been flying the Australian whisky flag as proudly as it can for the last few years and given the quality of spirit it bottles, it’s not hard to see why. Don’t forget, the opportunity to see how they do it can be yours by winning this delightful VIP trip to the distillery!
Back to Nova, which is an expression that should appeal to those who consider provenance important. It was made entirely from Australian malted barley and spent three years maturing in Melbourne in a mixture of wine casks from some of Australia’s greatest wineries including Yalumba, Penfolds and Wynns. The barrels are a mixture of American, French and a little East European oak that previously held mainly Shiraz, Cabernet and Pinot Noir.
But don’t take our word for it. Here’s founder and maker of Starward whisky, David Vitale, to tell us more:
Look, it’s David Vitale!
Describe the flavour of Starward Nova. What casks have you used in its maturation?
We use Australian red wine barrels for our full maturation, which has given it an aroma of bright red fruit, chocolate and baking spices with a lingering finish of berries and vanilla.
Starward is located in Australia. What impact does this have on the style of whisky you produce?
All great whiskies talk to the place they’re made and Starward is no different. We have access to some of the best barley, wheat and wine barrels to make Starward. But, more than that, we have a vibrant city in Melbourne which inspires us to think differently about whisky and bring it to life in easy to enjoy cocktails.
Talk us through the signature Starward character…
If I had to describe Starward in three words, it would be: fruity, smooth and balanced.
Vitale feels the future is bright for Starward, and it’s hard to disagree…
What have been your 2019 highlights at Starward?
This has been our best year yet. Not only in terms of sales, but huge milestones like launching Two-Fold and Nova in the US, UK, France and Japan. It’s always been our dream to take a bit of Melbourne to the world and we are on our way.
What’s next for Starward?
We’ve only just started on our launch plans in these key export markets. So we have a big job to do to get Starward in the hands of curious whisky drinkers who are interested in delicious modern Australian Whisky.
Starward Nova
Thank you very much to David for speaking to us. A delightful dram of Nova awaits!
Starward Nova tasting note:
Nose: Positively bursting with red fruit like strawberries with a Port-like mixture of fruit and nuts.
Palate: Honey, cinnamon and more red fruit on the palate, creamy nutty texture, luxurious mouthfeel with a touch of tannin.
Finish: Toffee with walnuts.
*Where prawns, not shrimps, are enjoyed. Shrimp is what Americans say. Don’t believe everything you read.
