Starward Wine Cask Edition 1 Impressions

What is it? 

Distillery: Starward New World Whisky

Name: Wine Cask Edition 1

Make: Australian Single Malt

Extra Info: Starward Wine Cask Edition was only this week awarded the coveted World Whiskies Awards - Best Australian Single Malt Whisky, for the second year in a row.

Why did I buy it?

I originally sampled this whisky as part of a whisky tasting event in Hobart last year and it was my favourite whisky tasted on the night and had this to say about it:

...matured exclusively in ex-Australian red wine barrels sourced from an undisclosed South Australian winery. The nose was sweet and fruity, delicate, with notes of strawberry. The sweetness continued on the palate with flavours of sweet summer berries followed by a medium-length finish that ended in a slightly bitter aftertaste.  

I had been meaning to buy a bottle since then and found one quite easily at a large local bottle shop chain and iIt will be interesting to if my impressions differ with a full bottle. It just so happened the bottle I picked up was one of the original run Wine Cask Edition 1, probably worth something to an investor (especially after two Best Australian Single Malt awards) but I was content to open it rather than just look at it because it really is a lovely whisky to drink.

What did I think of it?

Presentation: I love the label on the bottle, it is simple, clean and modern and so is the nicely shaped bottle that tapers slightly inwards towards a chunky base.

Appearance: Dark gold approaching amber in colour. No age statement, bottled at 41% ABV.

Aroma: Confectionery sweet, strawberries and cream, marshmallow and raspberry coulis. A pleasant nose without any harsh alcohol burn.

Flavour: Light mouthfeel, sweet summer berries.

Finish: Medium length, a fruity aftertaste with the slightest spicy tingle and a mild warming fade.

Would I buy it again?

Yes, absolutely. The Starward Wine Cask Edition is a uniquely Australian whisky, it's like a Christmas Pavlova smothered in berries and cream, enjoyed on the veranda on a balmy summer afternoon. Not only that but it is very forgiving for whisky newcomers. It's sweet, without a harsh alcohol burn and quite easy to drink. It has subtleties for the seasoned connoisseur, but I believe this to be a great introductory whisky for someone looking to try whisky neat for the first time. Uniquely Australian, sweet and easy to drink, I can see why it was judged Australia's best.

Disclaimer: I do not claim to have the nose and palate of a Master Sommelier, however, I am working to train my senses to better identify whisky aromas and flavours. Consider all my whisky 'Impressions' to be a work in progress and I hope to come back to each of them in the future to see if I notice anything different. Most importantly, I'm not just throwing around random aromas, flavours and adjectives for the hell of it; I am trying really hard to critically describe each whisky I taste - WhiskyDad.