Our exploration of The Heart Cut wee “pcket pours” continues! From their Barley British blend to a Pomegranate wine cask M&H, we turned our attentions to Australia with Starward.
No stranger to Starward, I had high hopes for a dynamic, red wine-influenced dram. We thoroughly enjoyed their Heart Cut #14, which featured American Oak: Starward (18 Jun 2019 / 29 Aug 2024) Fresh Red Wine Barrique – American Oak 55%
So, we had high expectations of their French Oak focused expression, described by The Heart Cut as:
OUR SECOND STARWARD CASK – THIS TIME SHOWCASING THE MAGIC OF FRENCH OAK.
Elegant and expressive, this whisky is a study in harmony between wood, wine, and whisky making. A red wine cask that delivers depth, spice, and florals in equal measure – it’s juicy, structured, and just plain delicious.
We’ve always been fascinated by the influence of oak – and this cask is a perfect example of what French oak can bring to the table. Where American oak gives lift and sweetness, French oak adds grip, spice, and structure. Paired with a fresh red wine fill, this cask delivers a beautifully layered whisky: floral and elegant up front, rich and indulgent through the middle, with a finish full of warmth and finesse. It’s Starward doing what they do best – taking what’s local, and turning it into something world-class.
On to our experience!
The Heart Cut #15 – Starward (27/08/2018 – 15/10/2024) Fresh Red Wine Barrique – French Oak 54% 312 bottles 50cl
- Nose – Surprisingly shy at first, then a sweet spice – more specifically, Sri Lankan cinnamon stick, or for others Big Red cinnamon chewing gum, also some red licorice, cherry. It needed some time to open before revealing a sweet almond paste
- Palate – Lovely. All the flavours come through – fruity, chocolate ginger, creme brule, almond cake
- Finish – Big flavourful finish with cloves, though not as long as the M&H
Did we enjoy it? Certainly. Then came the temptation to add a bit of water… transformative!
- Nose – Yes the cinnamon remained yet was joined by a delightful, gentle floral sweetness – think of fragrant cherry blossoms
- Palate – Richer, deeper with more of the burnt toffee pudding, more candied ginger, then it became a vanilla custard cream, joined by bursts of red berries… with a light dusting of chocolate
- Finish -Long-lasting finish – juicy and berry fruity!
Marvelous! It was like two related drams in one. We thoroughly enjoyed this expression. Even after it was set aside for some time, it retained its juicy, rewarding character. Delicious!
What more do we know? Georgie and Fabrizio shared more about the casks and its aging:
FRESH RED WINE CASKS
Starward works with casks sourced just hours away from the distillery in the Barossa Valley. Unlike most red wine casks used in whisky (which are dried before transport), these are used fresh, preserving all that juicy, rich character from the wine.
FRENCH OAK
This cask is made from French oak (where #14 was American oak), bringing spicy, grippy tannins and a deeper, more structured complexity. French oak has a tighter grain, and is used for lighter styles of wine by the previous winemakers, so the whisky takes a little longer to mature – but when it hits its stride – like this cask – it’s phenomenal.
We were clearly on a roll with The Heart Cut’s Pocket Pours:
- The Heart Cut x – BARLEY English Blended Malt Whisky 46%
- The Heart Cut #04 – M&H (26/02/2019 – 26/03/2023) Pomegranate Wine Cask 57%
- The Heart Cut #15 – Starward (27/08/2018 – 15/10/2024) Fresh Red Wine Barrique – French Oak 54%
- The Heart Cut #18 – Thomson (07/08/2019 – 25/03/2025) Ex-Bourbon 50.8%
Curious about our other experiences with Starward whiskies? Just check out a few here:
- Starward New World Whisky 43% (~2016) WL
- Starward New World Project Wine Cask 2.25 year (8 Aug 2017) malted barley spirit batch 170721-A 42%
- Starward Nova 41%
- Starward Solera (2018) 43%
- Starward Two Fold – Double Grain 40%
- Starward 10th Anniversary 52%
- Starward 5 year (18 Jun 2019 / 29 Aug 2024) Fresh Red Wine Barrique – American Oak 55% (The Heart Cut #14)
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