About Starward
Starward was founded in Melbourne in 2007 by David Vitale, with the aim of creating a distinctly Australian whisky shaped by the city’s food, wine and brewing culture. Produced at the Starward Distillery in Port Melbourne, its whiskies use Australian grains and ingredients sourced largely from within a day’s drive. Malted barley is fermented with brewers’ yeast to develop a bright, fruit-forward spirit, while the city’s frequently changing temperatures increase the whisky’s interaction with the oak during maturation.
Starward is best known for maturing its whisky in freshly emptied Australian wine barrels sourced from nearby regions including the Yarra Valley and Barossa Valley. These casks bring generous notes of red fruit, tropical fruit, spice and oak to expressions such as Nova single malt and Two-Fold double grain whisky. The range also includes Solera, matured in Australian Apera barrels, alongside limited releases exploring different wine casks, finishes and locally influenced production methods.