Since 2013, Starward distillery has looked to use its local attributes to its advantage to create a distinctly Australian whisky: spirit made from nearby grains, matured in red wine barrels from the local vineyards, and the fluctuating Melbourne climate to speed up the interaction between the two.
The brand has built quite the following and the “Left-Field” release has been created just for its European fans, and uses solely French red wine oak casks for the maturation process.
“Whisky made in the wild weather of Melbourne, which helps draw out its signature fruity flavour. Only ingredients sourced on a day’s drive from the distillery are used – even the red wine casks that it’s aged in come from nearby vineyards.”
The whisky does not carry an age statement, and is bottled at 40% ABV without chill-filtration or colouring. At the time of writing, bottles are readily available across the UK around £35-40 GBP price point, with Waitrose seemingly always having some in stock.
Nose
A big malt and red berry explosion. The meld of flavours remind me of a raspberry bakewell pudding with the red fruits, baking spices, and a distinct almond/marzipan sweetness and nuttiness.
Taste
Lots of fruits bursting on the tongue her: strawberry, cranberry, cherry, and there’s even some tropical fruit notes, like pineapple or mango. There’s a warming oak build with gentle ginger and cinnamon spices.
Finish
A fairly swift finish with a red-wine-style drying oak sensation. A flash of white pepper heat and a touch of clove spice flavour too. The sweet red berry flavours stick around after the boozy tingle has gone too.
Verdict
Put simply: this is rather good.
When writing that I wanted to say “for its age”, but that seems condescending. As a whisky drink it stands up and offers something fresh. It’s light, it’s flavoursome, it’s not overly spirit-y (to go back to the age comment), and it hits its brief of being very fruity.
When whiskies do not have an age statement, there is a general assumption that the spirit is not that old, but the influences of the red wine casks are strong enough that they build up enough character and flavour. The oaky aftertaste that you get from a red wine is there, and adds to the light and fresh fruity profile.
The branding on the bottle is a bit on the nose, even if the trick about reading the description forwards and then backwards is quite satisfying. But the clean white box with copper-y foil housing a spirit that is presented without chill-filtration or colouring when at the legal minimum 40% ABV does tick quite a few boxes for me.
Back in late 2015, Diageo’s Distill Ventures invested in Starward, and I wonder if that’s how they have ended up with a European-only offering. Obviously, shipping halfway around the world is going to take some infrastructure and it’ll be fun to see fi the recently revamped bottles and newer expression (e.g. Two-fold) start to appear here. As it stands though, the Left-Field bottle is readily available for those seeking it in the UK, and is also being kept at an approachable price. Couple that with the flavour profile and experience, and this is a winner.
Overall, a very enjoyable and approachable whisky which plants a decent flag in the “world whisky” category.
M
Dram Disclosure: A bottle shared over Christmas. All notes are intended as an honest, fair, and independent review of the whisky, and not as a promotion. Please drink responsibly. Please drink wisely.
whisky unplugged 
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