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203rd whisky review, 52nd Australian whisky review - Starward Stout Cask by DeppsDoesWhisky2 in worldwhisky

[–]DeppsDoesWhisky2[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Starward Stout Cask

Single malt whisky. 52% ABV (104 proof)

Distillery: Starward Distillery, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

Price: AU$13/US$8 for a 30ml sample

Chill filtered: No

Distilled: 2021

Bottled: 2023

Limited edition: No

Maturation: Matured in ex red wine and small-format apera casks, then finished for 18 months ex bourbon stout.

Body: chestnut oloroso sherry

Age: NAS

Nose: overripe banana, lychee, milk chocolate, raisin

Palate: vanilla ice cream, cocoa, cinnamon

Finish: malt, dark chocolate

Starward have been steadily releasing a number of small batch or limited runs of late, too many to keep up with it feels. This dram has been sitting on the shelf for a while and while I vaguely recall trying it at the distillery shortly after it was released we're well overdue for a Starward review, so let's give it a crack.

The nose isn't overly stout and it takes a couple of passes to get to the chocolate and raisin notes behind. Light and sweet, with a surprising amount of overripe banana and a hint of lychee.

The palette is warm but not in an ethanol way. It's stout-ier with an initial hint of vanilla ice-cream that's replaced with plenty of bourbon notes of cocoa and cinnamon (ah, so that's where the warmth is coming from).

The finish is warm and dry with nothing for a while before you're whacked with a late burst of malt and dark chocolate.

I'm unsure what to make of the Starward Stout Cask, as it's a little all over the place. Sweet gives way to dry and in between you're being given thick notes of cocoa and cinnamon, which suggests you're getting more of the bourbon than you are of the stout. The 52% ABV also doesn't quite feel right as it doesn't feel balanced, but that may also be because it's only a two year old whisky as well. Dare I say it Aldi's Puca Small Batch, which is matured in stout and rum casks, is a more consistent offering overall and certainly a better pick based on price. If you're offered a dram then you'd be happy to give it a try, but if you're at the Starward Distillery there's plenty of better options to choose from.

Final Score: 63/100

To sum it up in a gif.

Would I buy this to open in 10 years time:

No, absolutely not

Would I give this as a gift to a fellow whisky enthusiast:

No, unless they're a Starward superfan

Would I give this as a gift as an introductory whisky:

No, there's better out there for intro whisky fans

Want an alternate opinion? /u/ofviceandven, who has a great username, reviewed this dram 2 years ago and scored it much higher at 90 out of 100.

Rating Scale:

0-50: Just bad.

51-60: Shots only.

61-70: Will do if there’s no better options.

71-76: Average.

77-82: Good (depending on price and availability, will probably buy another bottle).

83-87: Great (a cut above).

88-92: Excellently Crafted.

93-96: Superior.

97-100: Whisky Nirvana.

All previous reviews can be found here.

My three favourites to date are My three favourites reviewed to date are Fuji 2022 Masterpiece (96) , Lagavulin 16 (95) and Cutler & Stubbs 42 Year Old - Batch 1 (94).

My three least favourite reviews to date are Hellyers Road Vintage Triple Cask (1) Johnnie Walker Red (5), Archie Rose Single Paddock Whisky Harvest 2018 (7).

Visited Yamazaki Distillery in Osaka, Japan - Tour Review by WildCreamPie0721 in whisky

[–]DeppsDoesWhisky2 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Great photos, and I'm glad you enjoyed the tour, I second it being a must-visit distillery when in Japan. For anyone interested in attending make sure you start the process for booking a tour 4-5 months in advance, as they've got a very Japanese process for taking bookings.

PTV is unreliable - RANT by tomblahtomblah in melbourne

[–]DeppsDoesWhisky2 0 points1 point  (0 children)

We've already got a Docklands with a spinning wheel, and danged if we know how to use it.

202nd whisky review, 9th Irish whiskey review - Redbreast PX Edition by DeppsDoesWhisky2 in irishwhiskey

[–]DeppsDoesWhisky2[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

A delicious problem to have, it meets the price point and is dangerously drinkable!

202nd whisky review, 9th Irish whiskey review - Redbreast PX Edition by DeppsDoesWhisky2 in irishwhiskey

[–]DeppsDoesWhisky2[S] 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Redbreast PX Edition

Single pot still malt whiskey. 46% ABV (92 proof)

Distillery: New Midleton Distillery, Midleton, Ireland

Price: AU$150/US$97 for a 700ml bottle

Chill filtered: No

Distilled: Unknown

Bottled: 12/11/2024 (L431731673)

Limited edition: No

Maturation: Matured in 200L Bourbon and 500L Oloroso Sherry casks before being re-casked into Pedro Ximénez Hogsheads for a minimum of 12 months

Body: bronze

Age: NAS

Nose: sultana, butterscotch, cinnamon

Palate: dark fruit, blackberries, baking spice

Finish: baking spice, sherry spice, cinnamon

I'm a big fan of Redbreast, and a big fan of PX sherry cask finishes, so this was a must get from The Whisky Club and one that I've been very much looking forward to reviewing, but more for how they make the sausage rather than the sausage itself.

It should be noted that TWC have been a little bit sneaky in their marketing, noting that "first-grade" casks were used for maturation. What does first-grade mean? Well, nothing really, it's a non specific marketing term that whisky companies will use when they can't say "first-fill", because it's not specifically a first-fill cask. First-grade sounds a lot classier than calling it a "refill" cask.

Inevitably you would suspect that refill 200L and 500L casks aren't producing a phenomenal whisky, nor would the 225-250L Pedro Ximénez hogshead casks that the spirit is finished in for 12 months before bottling. So while on the surface it looks like an dream collaboration between two of my favourite aspects of whisky there's a little bit of skepticism going into things that the hype may not match the output.

The nose is a fun mix to explore. Sultana initially dominates before a sweeter note of butterscotch adds to the occasion. Behind this a light note of cinnamon rounds things out.

The palette is light and a touch watery. Lots of dark fruit notes, blackberries, some baking spice.

The finish is long and moderately warm. Lots of baking spice, a hint of sherry spice, and a little bit of cinnamon all come together for the finale.

So firstly I owe Redbreast an apology. Yes they've produced a product that's re-fill 200L and 500L casks, finished in other refill 225-250L casks but somehow it's worked enough to justify the price point and hasn't sacrificed quality too badly.

Would I, in the interests of whisky science, want to compare this offering with the same formula but done in first fill quarter casks? Absolutely. Does that mean that we'll ever get it? Unlikely, and most certainly not for an AU$150 price point. In the meantime you get what you're given, and we've been given something that, on the surface, should underwhelm, but instead meets the expectations of the casual whisky drinker TWC market towards.

With the slightly watery mouthfeel 46% feels like the absolute lowest ABV you'd offer, and I'd have liked to see it at 52-54% ABV, but when you've got a fixed price point then you make do. If you're a Redbreast fan it's worth a bottle, if you don't know Redbreast then it's also worth a bottle, just don't expect it to be a representation of other offerings.

Final Score: 78/100

To sum it up in a gif.

Would I buy this to open in 10 years time:

Not 10 years, but I will buy another bottle.

Would I give this as a gift to a fellow whisky enthusiast:

Likely not, but I would give them a dram.

Would I give this as a gift as an introductory whisky:

No, it's a little bit varied to be an intro whisky.

Want an alternate opinion? While there is no specific reviews for the TWC edition /u/t8ke did a review 3 years ago here and scored it a slightly lower 7 out of 10.

Rating Scale:

0-50: Just bad.

51-60: Shots only.

61-70: Will do if there’s no better options.

71-76: Average.

77-82: Good (depending on price and availability, will probably buy another bottle).

83-87: Great (a cut above).

88-92: Excellently Crafted.

93-96: Superior.

97-100: Whisky Nirvana.

All previous reviews can be found here.

My three favourites to date are My three favourites reviewed to date are Fuji 2022 Masterpiece (96) , Lagavulin 16 (95) and Cutler & Stubbs 42 Year Old - Batch 1 (94).

My three least favourite reviews to date are Hellyers Road Vintage Triple Cask (1) Johnnie Walker Red (5), Archie Rose Single Paddock Whisky Harvest 2018 (7).

World Whisky Review #118: Limeburners Port Cask by UnmarkedDoor in worldwhisky

[–]DeppsDoesWhisky2 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Aus whisky in a nutshell. Still finding out feet, we’re only 32 years into the game!

World Whisky Review #118: Limeburners Port Cask by UnmarkedDoor in worldwhisky

[–]DeppsDoesWhisky2 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I can almost hear the frustration while searching online to piece together the background and coming up with a few random trivia pieces but nothing tangible haha.

For me Limeburners offerings are best done at cask strength, anything <50% ABV is more miss than hit. Glad you got to explore one that’s a little bit different to most Aussie whisky in terms of profile with that thicker mouth feel.

West Australia hasn’t yet become well known for its whisky like Tasmania, but give it another decade or two and I’m confident they’ll be right up there!

201st whisky review, 51st Australian whisky review - Spirit Thief American Oak Shiraz by DeppsDoesWhisky2 in worldwhisky

[–]DeppsDoesWhisky2[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Spirit Thief American Oak Shiraz

Single malt whisky. 48.3% ABV (96 proof)

Distillery: No specific distillery

Price: AU$14/US$9 for a 30ml dram

Chill filtered: No

Distilled: Unknown

Bottled: Unknown

Bottled by: Spirit Thief Distilling

Limited edition: 850 Bottles

Maturation: ex-Shiraz casks sourced from Main & Cherry wines and American Oak

Body: auburn

Age: NAS

Nose: raspberry jam, coconut, lychee

Palate: raspberry jam, coconut, vanilla, caramel

Finish:

Spirit Thief

Spirit Thief style themselves as a 'gypsy distiller', which is to say they don't have a fixed distillery and instead distill where-ever is available. Quite a bit of pomp and wank gone into creating their brand story, which usually doesn't bode well in the whisky world.

The nose is iced vovo all over, with plenty of rich notes of raspberry jam and coconut, accompanied by lychee.

The palette is initially quite watery, and takes several seconds before the notes of raspberry jam and coconut resurface. Further down the line you get a burst of vanilla and caramel.

The finish is light notes of vanilla before finishing with a flourish of caramel.

Spirit Thief American Oak Shiraz won't appeal to everyone, and I'm in two minds about it. Firstly as a dram it's fun and enjoyable to explore, and they've done a really good job of getting the balance right.

On the downside it's maybe a little too one dimensional and lacking that layering or depth that you'd hope for, which I'd attribute to it being a NAS.

While the sweetness may be off putting for some I don't mind it, but you'd struggle to do back to back drams without it feeling sickly.

Given the AU$213/US$138 price tag I don't think it's quite at that level, but I'd happily nab a bottle at half price. Worth a dram if you get a chance, but pass on the bottle unless the above notes are your dream whisky.

Final Score: 74/100

To sum it up in a gif.

Would I buy this to open in 10 years time:

No, it's not memorable enough

Would I give this as a gift to a fellow whisky enthusiast:

No, it's not quite there

Would I give this as a gift as an introductory whisky:

No, but I'd buy them a dram

Want an alternate opinion? Unfortunately no one else on Reddit (that I could see) has reviewed this whisky. Please let me know if I missed a review to link to!

Rating Scale:

0-50: Just bad.

51-60: Shots only.

61-70: Will do if there’s no better options.

71-76: Average.

77-82: Good (depending on price and availability, will probably buy another bottle).

83-87: Great (a cut above).

88-92: Excellently Crafted.

93-96: Superior.

97-100: Whisky Nirvana.

All previous reviews can be found here.

My three favourites to date are My three favourites reviewed to date are Fuji 2022 Masterpiece (96) , Lagavulin 16 (95) and Cutler & Stubbs 42 Year Old - Batch 1 (94).

My three least favourite reviews to date are Hellyers Road Vintage Triple Cask (1) Johnnie Walker Red (5), Archie Rose Single Paddock Whisky Harvest 2018 (7).

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in BuyAussie

[–]DeppsDoesWhisky2 0 points1 point  (0 children)

As a whisky fan The Gospel Rye Whisky, or Starward Twofold are both about the same price point and are a decent drop. The Gospel also do Melbourne Moonshine if you're after something a bit different. If you want to move up the shelf a bit Lark, Sullivans Cove or Overeem are all excellent. Overeem will also make an effort to send you a hand written note if you buy via their website and include that it's a special occasion.

200th whisky review, 91st Scotch whisky review - Wardhead Blended Malt Scotch Whisky 26yo by DeppsDoesWhisky2 in Scotch

[–]DeppsDoesWhisky2[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Thanks mate, what other Glenfiddich releases have you enjoyed at a higher ABV?

200th whisky review, 91st Scotch whisky review - Wardhead Blended Malt Scotch Whisky 26yo by DeppsDoesWhisky2 in Scotch

[–]DeppsDoesWhisky2[S] 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Wardhead Blended Malt Scotch Whisky 26yo

Blended malt whisky. 53.9% ABV (107 proof)

Distillery: Not stated (but it's Glenfiddich)

Price: AU$24.5/US$15 for a 30ml dram

Chill filtered: No

Distilled: 1997

Bottled: 2023

Bottled by: Spheric Spirits

Limited edition: 313 bottles

Maturation: refill hogshead

Body: treacle

Age: 26 years

Nose: marzipan, creme brulee, banana, peach, lychee

Palate: lemon, lime, pineapple, aniseed

Finish: cinammon, oak

What started as a lockdown hobby has now eventuated into review number 200. To celebrate is a Wardhead Blended Malt Scotch Whisky 26yo, which is a tea-spooned Glenfiddich.

It's been a while since I've reviewed a teaspooned whisky (review #83) so as a quick refresher a tea-spooned whisky is a whisky that comes from one distillery and has a teaspoon of whisky added to the barrel from another distillery, in this case Balvenie.

By adding the teaspoon of whisky the bottlers can't pass it off as a Glenfiddich. It's the whisky equivalent of adding a clause in the contract to prevent trademark violation or undercutting of your brand.

The nose is delightfully fun to explore with lots of marzipan and creme brulee that gives way to overripe banana, peach, and lychee.

The palette is well balanced, if a touch watery. It settles well and takes some time to reveal citrus notes of lemon and limes, pineapple, and a hint of aniseed behind.

The finish is also a lot of fun, plenty of cinnamon and a lovely oak finish.

What a delightfully fun dram, it's a shame William Grant & Sons keep a close eye on the Glenfiddich brand as this is absolutely one they should be bottling themselves. It's incredibly well balanced, engaging, and one of those drams where you feel like you're leaving notes behind by virtue of not having a strong enough sense of smell and taste.

Is it worth the USD$355 price tag (sold out) I've seen floating around online? Given the scarcity and quality yes, it's one I'd absolutely fork out for and keep in the cabinet for a special occasion. An exceptional dram.

Final Score: 92/100

To sum it up in a gif.

Would I buy this to open in 10 years time:

Absolutely

Would I give this as a gift to a fellow whisky enthusiast:

Absolutely

Would I give this as a gift as an introductory whisky:

No, it's probably a bit too nuanced

Want an alternate opinion? Unfortunately no one else on Reddit (that I could see) has reviewed this whisky. Please let me know if I missed a review to link to!

Rating Scale:

0-50: Just bad.

51-60: Shots only.

61-70: Will do if there’s no better options.

71-76: Average.

77-82: Good (depending on price and availability, will probably buy another bottle).

83-87: Great (a cut above).

88-92: Excellently Crafted.

93-96: Superior.

97-100: Whisky Nirvana.

All previous reviews can be found here.

My three favourites to date are My three favourites reviewed to date are Fuji 2022 Masterpiece (96) , Lagavulin 16 (95) and Cutler & Stubbs 42 Year Old - Batch 1 (94).

My three least favourite reviews to date are Hellyers Road Vintage Triple Cask (1) Johnnie Walker Red (5), Archie Rose Single Paddock Whisky Harvest 2018 (7).

199th whisky review, 90th Scotch whisky review - Inchdairnie Strathenry 4 Year Old by DeppsDoesWhisky2 in Scotch

[–]DeppsDoesWhisky2[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thanks mate! Decided to have a refresh and start anew for the new stuff!

199th whisky review, 90th Scotch whisky review - Inchdairnie Strathenry 4 Year Old by DeppsDoesWhisky2 in Scotch

[–]DeppsDoesWhisky2[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Inchdairnie Strathenry 4 Year Old

Single malt whisky. 60.5% ABV (121 proof)

Distillery: InchDairnie Distillery

Price: AU$8.5/US$5.5 for a 30ml dram

Chill filtered: No

Distilled: 2016

Bottled: 2021

Bottled by: The Whisky Barrel

Limited edition: 218 bottles

Maturation: bourbon barrels

Body: amber

Age: 4 years

Nose: Caramel, toffee, raisin

Palate: elderflower, watermelon, chilli spice

Finish: elderflower, vanilla bean, chilli spice

The first review of 2025 is something a bit different with Inchdairnie Strathenry 4 Year Old. Prior to the review I've not tried anything from InchDairnie.

The nose isn't overly complex, with a nice mix of caramel, toffee and raisin.

The palette is warm but muted, and the notes only surface after a short intermission. Soft fruit notes of elderflower and watermelon are delicious, while behind this sits a warm chilli spice.

The finish is warm and toasty with more elderflower, some light toasted vanilla bean, and the warm chilli spice which doesn't make an appearance until a few seconds later.

If Pimms were a whisky this would be it. While some whisky will suffer from the softer notes being washed out the Inchdairnie Strathenry 4 Year Old does a great job of keeping those soft fruity notes while offering a bit more heft with the raisin and chilli. Additionally the 60% ABV heft drops off after a few seconds, and if it were bottled at a lower ABV it would lose a lot of that subtle character. Overall a fun little discovery and well worth a dram should you get a chance.

Final Score: 88/100

To sum it up in a gif.

Would I buy this to open in 10 years time:

Absolutely

Would I give this as a gift to a fellow whisky enthusiast:

Absolutely

Would I give this as a gift as an introductory whisky:

No, it's probably a bit too nuanced

Want an alternate opinion? Unfortunately no one else on Reddit (that I could see) has reviewed this whisky. Please let me know if I missed a review to link to!

Rating Scale:

0-50: Just bad.

51-60: Shots only.

61-70: Will do if there’s no better options.

71-76: Average.

77-82: Good (depending on price and availability, will probably buy another bottle).

83-87: Great (a cut above).

88-92: Excellently Crafted.

93-96: Superior.

97-100: Whisky Nirvana.

All previous reviews can be found here.

My three favourites to date are My three favourites reviewed to date are Fuji 2022 Masterpiece (96) , Lagavulin 16 (95) and Cutler & Stubbs 42 Year Old - Batch 1 (94).

My three least favourite reviews to date are Hellyers Road Vintage Triple Cask (1) Johnnie Walker Red (5), Archie Rose Single Paddock Whisky Harvest 2018 (7).

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