Whisky : Starward 3 Year Cask 3329 for Drammers 

Country/Region : Australia

ABV : 55.5%

Cask : Red Wine Barrique

Age : 3 Year (Distilled 2017, Bottled 2020)

Nose : White chocolate, spice, and wood. Right away were notes of sweet cocoa butter, white chocolate, and chocolate-covered blueberries or strawberries. Lovely background notes of cinnamon, cocoa powder, and chicory left the impression of winter spiced lattes. The woody elements alternated between sanded koa wood, tapa cloth, and cassia bark.

Palate : Medium-bodied and slightly astringent with notes of chocolate and earth. Mouth full of hot cocoa mix with chocolate powder and white chocolate chips transitioned toward mineral-rich clay. Dried berries appeared with water, but the dram felt incredibly earthy and woodsy or arboreal. Modeling clay and oil brought to mind an art studio while raisins and dried fruit clung at the back palate with chocolate and peppermint. An earthiness underscored everything, and water seemed to highlight notes of clay and shale.

Finish : Lingering notes of dry chocolate and clay.

Score : 5

Mental Image : Bigfoot’s Chocolatier and Art Studio Emporia

Notes : Starward has been on my radar for quite a while, so I was glad when I finally had the chance to give it a try.  This particular dram was a lovely, albeit incredibly cask-driven, introduction to an Australian distillery with a growing presence in the United States.  

I found this incredibly chocolatey on the nose and palate. The dram reminded me of other red wine cask matured whiskies (no surprises there), especially casks by Westland in Washington and Westward in Oregon. An earthiness underscored everything on the palate and settled across the mouth from the first sip. Loads of modeling and sculpting clay, I felt like I was back in an art studio— one with sculpting dust and chocolate powder hanging in a low cloud.  After sitting with it for a bit, the fruit started to poke through with woodsy notes following close behind; a few drops of water brought them out much quicker. 

Overall, red-wine maturations can be dicey affairs, I love the idea of using local wine casks for whisky, but I have not been a massive fan of the ones I have tried.

Image Credit: Starward.com.au