Starward Solera Australian Whisky Review

By Elizabeth Emmons

Rating: B+

Starward Solera
(Credit: Starward)

Within the past 10 years in the US, New York in particular, Australian foodie culture has made its mark in a big way. Bluestone Lane, the Melbourne-inspired coffee shop which was once a secret for those in the know, (requiring, as it did an escalator ride down a flight in a non-descript quiet lobby in midtown Manhattan to find a space no larger than 10’ by 10’) from which one could be served a flat white (c. 2013) is now a multi-location enterprise with locations in several states and an often two hour wait to sit down for avocado toast.

Or how about Little Collins, a cute but pricey café with $4 cookies the size of your pinky, that gets ungodly crowded at 3pm on a weekday? There are a multitude of well-regarded Aussie cafes, restaurants and bars throughout New York, and the United States, and it is more than just a fad. There has been a parallel boom in Australian whiskies in the US, but I have heard more about Starward than any of them in the recent past. A friend who owns a liquor store in Manhattan noted that Starward is very popular and is flying off his shelves.

Starward whisky connects itself to Melbourne’s foodie coffee culture, stating that it is a whisky for a “curious, food obsessed generation” and is the basis for the reason they choose to mature their whisky in red wine barrels. I personally do not make the connection between this generation’s focus on food and Starward’s subsequent choice to mature their whisky in red wine casks; however, I am not complaining because some of my favorite expressions in general are those aged in various types of wine barrels. Yes, I do love food, but I also like whisky in its own right. Starward encourages people to be relaxed about their drinking, to let go of any preconceived drinking rules, and to pair their whisky with food and use it in a cocktail. While Starward gives off the air of being unfussy, they do value the best local ingredients. They pride themselves that everything they use is within a day’s drive away.

The Whisky
The Starward Solera is a 3 year old single malt whisky , made using Australian malted barley and brewer’s yeast and bottled at 43% ABV. The whisky is aged in apera barrels, apera (read “aperitif”) being an Australian fortified wine sourced from a local winery. It is double distilled, as many whiskies are, and uses the Solera system aging process. What I found fascinating in my research of this distillery is that Melbourne’s climate is so unique that they often refer to it has having four seasons in a day, thus causing the whisky to age more rapidly. They noted that they tried to age this whisky longer than 3 years, but it did not taste good. So, perhaps, the unwritten claim of this whisky is that it tastes older than a 3 year old whisky (which I believe it does) due to the climatic maturation.

The whisky is a medium copper color with a full, round mouthfeel.

The nose gives off caramel, light brown sugar, peanut brittle, honey on the comb, and dried cranberry. There is a floral quality as well (honey suckle), perhaps a result of the brewer’s yeast. Its scent is almost identical to challah French toast. A light woody note plays peek-a-boo and a squeeze of lemon tops it off.

The palate shows immediate depth which I found surprising, considering this whisky is only 86 proof. It is light and airy, almost effervescent, and with strong flavor. It is a little musty and toasty (French toast carries through on the palate), with tastes of raisin, roasted plum, and pears roasted in red wine.

The finish is medium dry, with hints of Aleppo pepper, un-ripened pear, sherry, and wood.

I must also make a note about the packaging – it’s gorgeous!

The Price
A bottle of Starward Solera costs $75.