Starward UnexPeated Barrel

Classic coastal Islay flavors and the Australian fruit-forward Whisky flavors meet for the first time.

Melbourne is famous for its insane weather, where all four seasons present themselves in one day like it’s a demo. But while such changes may be obnoxious to people, they’re perfect for maturing booze. David Vitale, Melbourne native, established the Starward Distillery in 2007. He sources his barley from the nearby farms, while the maturation barrels come from vineyards in Victoria. Starward’s Whisky spends two years only in Red Wine barrels, but the crazy climate accelerates the process in “Melbourne years.” Their Spirits are unique and unmistakably Aussie.

In 2021, they released Starward UnexPEATED. It’s the first time that classic coastal Islay flavors and the Australian fruit-forward Whisky flavors meet in one expression. The UnexPEATED starts with an Australian Single Malt that was aged in red Wine barrels before it was finished in super-peated Islay Whisky barrels. You could call it an experiment that turned out more than well, combining Islay heritage with the finest Australian Whisky. The nose greets you in a tropical manner with fruits, toasted oak, and sweet peat while the palate continues with ripe red berries, sea salt salinity, ripe orchard fruits, toasted oak, and cocoa. The finish brings, naturally, a lot of peat smoke. This one can definitely stand on its own but it won’t get too crowded in a cocktail, either.