Starward Nova
41% ABV - Australia
Nose: The first wafts remind me of rosé wine, giving strong nectarine, citrus, and red berries. Slightly effervescent quality (interesting!) and I picture myself walking through a meadow.
Taste: Spicy fruits, fresh red plum, and hints of green pepper leading into the finish.
Finish: Dried fruits, flowers, spices, and pepper.
Starward. Now that’s a distillery that I’ll never forget visiting! I was travelling for work and found myself in Melbourne for the weekend. My wife had introduced me to one of her friends that she had met travelling, and who lived in Melbourne too. We decided to meetup at the Starward Distillery (it might have been her recommendation if I recall!) On paper I was not that far away and distance-wise it probably wasn’t that far, either. But deciding to walk alone in a city I didn’t know through empty streets and under a major highway as the sun set… well, that didn’t feel great—ha!
The memories once I arrived are all positive though! Starward is the only distillery I had seen steaming of the barrels to hydrate them (and maybe sanitize?), instead of charring. At two years old their single malts really pack a punch of flavour, and perhaps it can be attributed to the use of very, very fresh ex-Australian wine barrels (of which I understand Apera is a large portion.)
Details: Aged 2 years.
Tasting Notes (Official): Bursting with notes of red berries, chocolate and soft oak spice, Nova is Starward's fruit-forward, signature single malt whisky.
Tasted 6 December 2023. (Posted 8 February 2024.)
