Boxing Day Special: Starward Solera vs Starward Octave Barrels (Australian Single Malt Whisky Review)

Dec 26

Boxing Day (December 26) isn’t about punching people—or kangaroos—no matter what B thinks. It’s about leftovers, family, sports, and a little holiday “thank you” energy… which is exactly why we’re cracking open two bottles from Starward Distillery in Melbourne, Australia.

Heather’s out for this one, so Katie steps in with maximum Aussie authority and a mission: prove that Australian single malt whisky deserves a spot on your shelf right next to your favorite bourbon and Scotch.

🎥 Watch the episode here:

https://youtu.be/pO7x4IqPH4k

What We’re Drinking

Tonight we’re reviewing two Starward single malts that show off what Australia does differently: wine casks, big fruit, and climate-driven maturation.

1) Starward Solera (Apera Cask Single Malt)

Starward Solera is Starward’s early legacy bottle and a cornerstone of their style—single malt matured in Apera casks (an Australian fortified wine that’s sherry-adjacent in character). The “Solera” name nods to a blending/aging tradition used in sherry, where younger and older spirit are layered to keep a consistent house profile.

Quick specs

Style: Australian single malt whisky
Cask: Apera (fortified wine)
Proof: 86

Tasting notes

Nose: orchard fruit, raisins, toffee, vanilla, dried-fruit warmth
Palate: caramel chews, crème brûlée, banana, figs, nougat, dessert energy
Finish: juicy dried fruit, gentle oak spice, zero peat drama

Vibe: “Holiday dessert board but in a Glencairn.”

2) Starward Octave Barrels (Red Wine Cask Single Malt)

This one turns the volume up. Starward Octave Barrels is matured in small 100-liter “octave” wine barrels, which means more wood contact and faster extraction. These barrels previously held Yalumba ‘The Octavius’ Shiraz, so you get a deep red-fruit imprint and that “wine-cask richness” people either love instantly… or become obsessed with after the second sip.

Quick specs

Style: Australian single malt whisky
Cask: 100L red-wine octave barrels (Shiraz)
Proof: 96

Tasting notes

Nose: cherries, plums, ripe peach, caramel, toasted oak
Palate: dark forest fruit, jammy sweetness, oak backbone, spice warmth
Finish: smooth + lingering with toasted marshmallow / caramelized sugar vibes

Vibe: “Wine bar meets whisky bar meets dessert cart.”

Why Starward Is Different (And Why Bourbon Folks Should Care)

Starward is part of what makes world whisky so fun right now: it’s not trying to cosplay Scotland. They lean into what Australia does best:

Ex-red wine & fortified wine barrels (Shiraz, Cabernet, Pinot, Apera)
Melbourne climate swings that push faster wood interaction
Flavor-forward, shareable whisky (not precious, not hoarded)

If you usually drink bourbon, Starward can feel familiar in the best ways—sweet notes, rich oak, caramel—while still bringing something totally different with that wine-cask fruit.

Boxing Day Energy

Katie breaks down the real meaning of Boxing Day (spoiler: not gloves), then immediately adds the modern version: returning gifts and hunting deals like it’s an Olympic sport.

B’s contribution is asking if Boxing Day is when kangaroos fight each other.

So yes—this is a culturally educational episode.

Best Ways To Drink These

We’re not here to tell you how to live, but:

Neat: best for catching the layered fruit + cask character
A cube of ice: opens up dessert notes and rounds the spice
Food pairing: Solera is wildly “food-friendly” (cheese, dried fruit, nuts, dark chocolate)