Starward Distillery was founded by David Vitale, who sought to create a whisky inspired by Melbourne’s renowned temperature fluctuations, often described as experiencing “four seasons in one day”. The distillery was originally located at Essendon Airport in the former Ansett hangar, but as the popularity of its whisky grew, the space became too small to accommodate production. In 1996, the distillery was relocated to a larger facility in Melbourne’s Port Melbourne district, allowing production to increase significantly. The distillery is known for using local wine casks to mature its whisky, gaining both international and domestic recognition through a growing list of awards.
The Starward Fortis was first released in 2020. It is made using 100% American oak ex wine barrels, predominantly sourced from wineries in the Barossa Valley. These casks previously held robust Shiraz and Cabernet wines. Some barrels were heavily charred to add additional complexity, while others were left fresh, contributing to an intense red wine character within the whisky.
Unlike many other Starward releases, this whisky is not chill filtered, allowing the spirit to retain more of the natural character drawn from the cask. Bottled at 50% ABV, it offers a full flavoured and authentic expression straight from the barrel.
