Published: Last Updated:
Readtime: 3 min
Every product is carefully selected by our editors and experts. If you buy from a link, we may earn a commission. Learn more. For more information on how we test products, click here.
The whisky makers from Port Melbourne’s Starward Distillery have always lived up to their collective name by constantly setting ever-loftier goals for themselves. The resulting trajectory has seen these local artisans go from strength to strength as they’ve produced one outstanding whisky after another, culminating in being recognised as the ‘Most Awarded International Distillery’ at the 2024 San Francisco World Spirits Competition (SFWSC).
As such, Starward is bringing that famously deft whisky touch to Sydney via a very special event that lovers of world-beating, home-grown whisky simply can’t afford to miss. Read on to discover more.
Discover New Horizons
Having secured a remarkable haul of 29 awards at the 2024 SFWSC event, our local distilling dynamos are taking no time to rest on their laurels. Instead, Starward is introducing ‘Starward Flight: A Whisky Experience to New Horizons’, which promises to deliver an experience meticulously designed to showcase and celebrate the expressions that have redefined Australian whisky on the global stage.
Without giving too much away—we really don’t want to ruin the surprise—attendees will find themselves transported to a new world of whisky via a custom-built 12-seater theatrical pop-up located on Sydney’s Bennelong Lawn in the Royal Botanic Gardens. This capsule will deliver a state-of-the-art experience made up of extraordinary 360-degree sight and sound that guides you through the Starward galaxy.
The journey will be accompanied by a range of whisky-tasting experiences guaranteed to elevate your senses and showcase why this Australian distillery has set the standard by which all whiskies, domestic and international, must now be judged.
The Australian Standard
The Starward team’s seemingly endless streak of outstanding drams has unquestionably redefined the Australian whisky category. Keeping things local in order to craft expressions that are inherently Australian, the source of every ingredient used by Starward is less than a day’s drive from the Melbourne distillery.
Furthermore, some of Australia’s finest red wine barrels are deployed to give Starward’s output its signature flavour. This process benefits from Melbourne’s notorious four-seasons-in-one-day weather, which causes the barrels to rapidly expand and contract, extracting even more of that delightful red wine essence. What could be more local than that?
As Dave Vitale, founder of Starward Whisky, explains, “At Starward, we’ve always believed that whisky should be more reflective of the Australian spirit – everything from the grains to the barrels. The Starward Flight: A Whisky Experience to New Horizons, is our way of sharing that passion with more people across the country, while offering a whisky tasting experience like no other.”
To explore these remarkable flavours for yourself while enjoying a singular experience guaranteed to send your senses, well, starward, don’t miss the opportunity to sign up for this once-in-a-lifetime celebration of the best Australian whisky has to offer. Onwards and upwards.
Sydney Event Details
- Date: 13-17 November 2024
- Location: Bennelong Lawn (Royal Botanic Gardens)
- Tickets: AUD$45 for a 30-minute immersive whisky tasting
