AN INTRODUCTION TO STARWARD DISTILLERY
It all started with a vision.
Dave Vitale wanted to create an Australian whisky that was proud of its place - and could stand tall on the world stage. Born and raised in Melbourne, he saw potential in the city’s wild weather, brilliant brewing culture, and proximity to world-class wine country. In 2007, he founded Starward with a simple idea: to make a whisky that tasted like home. By 2009, Sam Slaney had joined as the first employee - and he’s still there, at the helm of the stills, shaping Starward for drinkers of today and the future.
At Starward, provenance isn’t a buzzword - it steers every decision.
All ingredients come from within a day’s drive of the distillery. That means:
- Locally grown barley
- Pristine Melbourne water - soft, clean and fresh - used for both distillation and reducing the whisky to bottling strength
- Fresh red wine casks sourced straight from the Barossa Valley
It’s that last ingredient we’re particularly excited by.
Why? Because while red wine cask maturation isn’t new, most of the time - especially in Scotland - those casks are dried and shipped across oceans before they’re used. The casks Starward works with are fresh, not dry. They arrive just days after the wine is emptied, still soaked through and full of character, bringing an intensity of juicy, fruit-forward flavour. It’s a trend we’re seeing more and more from distilleries in winemaking countries - and one that, honestly, feels like a key part of whisky’s future.
Starward sits at the heart of a bold and fast-growing Australian whisky movement.
Distilling has been part of the Australian culture since 1822, but it wasn’t until the early 1990s with Lark Distillery over in Tasmania that it hit modern-day conversation. Since then, distilleries across the mainland - Starward, Archie Rose, Highwayman, to name a few- have since built that momentum, each carving out their own distinctive style. Starward helped shift the narrative from small-batch, cellar-door curiosities to modern, globally recognised brands. By embracing local ingredients, borrowing techniques from wine and brewing, and daring to define what Australian whisky can be, they’ve become a trailblazer - not just at home but internationally.
Starwards' philosophy rests on three key pillars.
- A bright, fruit-driven new make spirit - crafted with both brewing and distilling yeasts to create a layered ester profile that matures beautifully and drinks well young.
- Fresh red wine casks, which lend vibrant red fruit, structure and spice.
- Melbourne’s famously unpredictable weather. With temperatures that can swing wildly in a single day, Starward’s tin-shed warehouses accelerate maturation, helping the whisky draw deeply from the wood and develop a more nuanced flavour profile, faster.
But Starward is more than stills and barrels - it’s a community.
The team is a melting pot of brewers, winemakers, bartenders and sensory geeks, all bringing something different to the table. From grain to cocktail, everything happens on-site, and visitors can see it all: mashing, distilling, maturing, bottling - and finally, sipping at the bar. We’ve had many a great afternoon drinking at Starward’s bar - as have others. There’s just something about drinking whisky in the place it was made that makes it even more special.
It’s this blend of innovation, collaboration, and a relentless focus on flavour that makes Starward one of the most exciting names in modern whisky.
Other Starward expressions we enjoy
A juicy single malt matured in French oak fresh red wine casks. Think stewed stone fruits, ginger cake, vanilla cream, and toasted walnuts. Enjoy it neat or in a whisky sour with a red wine float. Yum.
Bold and juicy, Nova is all chocolate raspberry pudding and desiccated coconut. A great dessert whisky (with or instead of).
