Starward's experiments with Australian Chardonnay casks for the first time

Starward has taken a walk on the whiter side experimenting with its first ever whisky matured in white wine casks.

To date, Starward's red wine barrel influence has led the direction of the whisky producer but the Small Batch Chardonnay Cask changes all of that.

The single malt whisky that has been aged in French Oak barrels from the Yarra Valley and Margaret River wine regions with Starward's 'quintessential tropical spirit' soaking up all the 'buttery goodness' from the fresh and charred casks.

It is something completely different: the Chardonnay Cask is permeated with aromas of white peach and fragrant brioche, followed by juicy apricots, sweet peach and tropical fruits on the palate.

Starward’s Production Director, Sam Slaney, said: “There’s always a gamble when it comes to experimenting with trials like this. To have Starward’s Small Batch Chardonnay Cask not only work, but also turn out to be a delicious and elegant single malt whisky is a testament to the team’s ability to innovate.

“It reinforces for me why the Small Batch program is so important. Our distillers get the opportunity to experiment with new barrels, and that’s important because it allows us to discover unexpected gems like this. I think this is a whisky that our loyalists will love and will celebrate with us. This is also definitely something that we’ll continue to experiment with further.”

Available now from www.starward.com.au.