Starward Vitalis

Volume: 0.7 litres | Alcohol content: 52% | Chill filtration: No | Colouring: No

Special Features:

Vitalis combines Starward's distinctive red wine cask maturation with cask influences from different periods of the distillery's history. This limited anniversary edition was created in 2022 to celebrate the distillery's 15th anniversary. Its name refers to founder David Vitale and the Latin origin of his surname: Vitalis means life.

The team selected six parcels of whisky from the warehouse in Port Melbourne. Alongside the defining influence of Australian red wine casks, the selection includes Tawny, bourbon and rum casks, as well as first-fill and second-fill Apera casks. Apera is an Australian fortified wine in the sherry style; Tawny is also an Australian fortified wine. The selected whiskies matured for between four and ten years before being married together. These different previous cask contents connect Starward's wine cask tradition with its earlier cask experiments.

Vitalis combines ripe fruit with chocolate and lightly roasted coffee. It is bottled at 52% alcohol without chill filtration or added colouring. The 0.7-litre bottle has a black label with a gold star motif and comes in gift packaging.

Tasting Notes:

• Nose: Soft toffee appears first on the nose, before raisins become more pronounced. Chocolate-covered pineapple and cedarwood add further notes.
• Palate: Vitalis is powerful, full-bodied and rich in texture on the palate. Rich dried fruit and ripe redcurrants meet bright, juicy tropical fruit notes. A delicate note of lightly roasted coffee beans complements the flavour.
• Finish: The long finish feels oily and creamy. Ripe fruit notes remain balanced with oak.

Distillery/Bottler:

David Vitale founded Starward in Melbourne in 2007 with the idea of developing an approachable whisky with a distinctive Australian character. The neighbouring wine regions provided an important starting point: used Australian wine casks for maturation. The distillery in Port Melbourne sources its ingredients and red wine casks from within a day's drive.

Melbourne's rapid temperature changes shape maturation. They repeatedly set the casks to work and encourage interaction between whisky and wood; Starward calls this climate-driven process Elemental Maturation. The distillery team also includes former brewers and winemakers. Their experience connects work on the spirit with particular attention to wine cask selection.

Facts: