Starward Octave Barrels 2018 / Bot.2021 Single Malt Australian Whisky

Farah Abboud — Good not great

7/10

Pleasant dram with some nice caramel and baked fruit notes on the nose. It's well made and easy drinking at 48%, no complaints there. I just find it sits in that middle ground where it doesn't quite wow me enough to justify restocking over similarly priced Scotch options.

Petra Novak — Good not great

7/10

Pleasant dram with some nice caramel and baked fruit notes on the nose. It's well made and easy drinking at 48%, no complaints there. I just find it sits in that middle ground where it doesn't quite wow me enough to justify restocking over similarly priced Scotch options.

Elena Morozova — Good not great

7/10

Pleasant dram with some nice caramel and baked fruit notes on the nose. It's well made and easy drinking at 48%, no complaints there. I just find it sits in that middle ground where it doesn't quite wow me enough to justify restocking over similarly priced Scotch options.

Mei-Lin Wu — Melbourne in a glass

8/10

Really interesting pour — you get this mix of red berries, toffee apple, and a bit of toasted oak that I haven't found in many other single malts. At 48% it's got enough punch to hold up neat without being harsh. I keep coming back to this one on weekends.

Victor Osei — Melbourne in a glass

8/10

Really interesting pour — you get this mix of red berries, toffee apple, and a bit of toasted oak that I haven't found in many other single malts. At 48% it's got enough punch to hold up neat without being harsh. I keep coming back to this one on weekends.

Zara Al-Hassan — Melbourne in a glass

8/10

Really interesting pour — you get this mix of red berries, toffee apple, and a bit of toasted oak that I haven't found in many other single malts. At 48% it's got enough punch to hold up neat without being harsh. I keep coming back to this one on weekends.

Rosa Paredes — Solid but not cheap

7/10

I like what Starward are doing with the Octave Barrels concept, using all those different cask types gives it decent complexity. Nice dried fruit and vanilla thing going on. At nearly a hundred quid though, I'd want a bit more depth on the finish — it fades quicker than I'd expect for the price.

Finn OBrien — Solid but not cheap

7/10

I like what Starward are doing with the Octave Barrels concept, using all those different cask types gives it decent complexity. Nice dried fruit and vanilla thing going on. At nearly a hundred quid though, I'd want a bit more depth on the finish — it fades quicker than I'd expect for the price.

Sibel Nur — Solid but not cheap

7/10

I like what Starward are doing with the Octave Barrels concept, using all those different cask types gives it decent complexity. Nice dried fruit and vanilla thing going on. At nearly a hundred quid though, I'd want a bit more depth on the finish — it fades quicker than I'd expect for the price.

Ingrid Holm — Good not great

7/10

Pleasant dram with some nice caramel and baked fruit notes on the nose. It's well made and easy drinking at 48%, no complaints there. I just find it sits in that middle ground where it doesn't quite wow me enough to justify restocking over similarly priced Scotch options.

Omar Diallo — Good not great

7/10

Pleasant dram with some nice caramel and baked fruit notes on the nose. It's well made and easy drinking at 48%, no complaints there. I just find it sits in that middle ground where it doesn't quite wow me enough to justify restocking over similarly priced Scotch options.

Ethan Cooper — Melbourne in a glass

8/10

Really interesting pour — you get this mix of red berries, toffee apple, and a bit of toasted oak that I haven't found in many other single malts. At 48% it's got enough punch to hold up neat without being harsh. I keep coming back to this one on weekends.

Hannah Brooks — Melbourne in a glass

8/10

Really interesting pour — you get this mix of red berries, toffee apple, and a bit of toasted oak that I haven't found in many other single malts. At 48% it's got enough punch to hold up neat without being harsh. I keep coming back to this one on weekends.

Daniel Oyama — Solid but not cheap

7/10

I like what Starward are doing with the Octave Barrels concept, using all those different cask types gives it decent complexity. Nice dried fruit and vanilla thing going on. At nearly a hundred quid though, I'd want a bit more depth on the finish — it fades quicker than I'd expect for the price.

Mia Sundberg — Solid but not cheap

7/10

I like what Starward are doing with the Octave Barrels concept, using all those different cask types gives it decent complexity. Nice dried fruit and vanilla thing going on. At nearly a hundred quid though, I'd want a bit more depth on the finish — it fades quicker than I'd expect for the price.

Marianne Blom — Converts the sceptics

8/10

Bought this to prove to my Scotch-only mates that Australian whisky is legit, and it worked. The wine cask influence gives it this lovely spiced plum and dark chocolate character. Three years between distillation and bottling and it drinks way more mature than that. I take it neat, maybe a few drops of water.

Alex Ramos — Converts the sceptics

8/10

Bought this to prove to my Scotch-only mates that Australian whisky is legit, and it worked. The wine cask influence gives it this lovely spiced plum and dark chocolate character. Three years between distillation and bottling and it drinks way more mature than that. I take it neat, maybe a few drops of water.

Devon Marsh — Converts the sceptics

8/10

Bought this to prove to my Scotch-only mates that Australian whisky is legit, and it worked. The wine cask influence gives it this lovely spiced plum and dark chocolate character. Three years between distillation and bottling and it drinks way more mature than that. I take it neat, maybe a few drops of water.

Connor McBride — Converts the sceptics

8/10

Bought this to prove to my Scotch-only mates that Australian whisky is legit, and it worked. The wine cask influence gives it this lovely spiced plum and dark chocolate character. Three years between distillation and bottling and it drinks way more mature than that. I take it neat, maybe a few drops of water.

Tiffany Nguyen — Converts the sceptics

8/10

Bought this to prove to my Scotch-only mates that Australian whisky is legit, and it worked. The wine cask influence gives it this lovely spiced plum and dark chocolate character. Three years between distillation and bottling and it drinks way more mature than that. I take it neat, maybe a few drops of water.