Melbourne’s own Starward whisky distillery is celebrating a constellation of awards at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition, saying local producers are ready to challenge nations like Japan in the global export market.
Starward was the most-awarded distiller at the international competition, two years after first claiming the title in 2022.
It notched eight platinum awards for its whiskies in the May event, earning high praise from expert judges in blind-tasting trials.
Expressions like Starward’s Nova and Tawny #2 whiskies are now in the company of legendary Scotch whiskies like Lagavulin 16, Highland Park 21, and Ardbeg 25, which also earned platinum awards.
Starward also earned 13 double gold and 13 gold awards across its range, making it the most-awarded single distillery in the competition.
“It is incredibly thrilling to have this recognition from a highly competitive global competition, across all spirit categories,” Starward founder David Vitale said in a statement.
“It is the Olympics of the international spirits industry, and our Melbourne-made whisky has taken top honour.”
Starward toasted to its own success Friday morning at its Port Melbourne distillery and bar, in an event attended by Victorian Treasurer Tim Pallas, Victorian Chamber of Commerce and Industry CEO Paul Guerra, and International Chamber of Commerce chair Philippe Varin.
Not only is the distillery half a world away from whisky’s spiritual home of Scotland, and separated from newer market entrant Japan, Starward says how it prepares its liquor separates itself from global competitors.
Unlike platinum winners like Lagavulin 16, which, as the name suggests, is aged in barrels for 16 years before bottling, Starward champions liquors which have been aged for a fraction of the time.
Vitale attributes the whisky’s success to the rich variety of ex-wine casks available to Australian distillers, which allow local producers to imbue their younger spirits with rich flavours.
He also claimed Melbourne’s fluctuating weather adds a bit of magic to the aging process, as opposed to the traditional, climate-controlled aging processes found in other world whiskies.
“Starward’s innovation lies in how we age our whisky, not technology, patents, or IP,” Vitale said.
“We capture the adventurous spirit of our hometown Melbourne and the rich flavours of local ingredients.”
More broadly, Australian distillers have more leeway to experiment compared to heritage producers overseas, who may need to comply with legal requirements over what can be labelled ‘Scotch whisky’.
Down in Tasmania, Lark — credited with reviving Australia’s whisky industry after decades in the doldrums — has earned international plaudits for a whisky seasoned with handmade chinotto, defying purists who believe the spirit should consist solely of water, barley, and yeast.
Starward was not the only Australian producer to earn a platinum award at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition.
Fellow Melbourne distiller Archie Rose notched a platinum award for its Bone Dry Gin.
Other Australian medallists include Tasmanian whisky distillery Waubs Harbour, which notched a gold and silver award, on top of the category winner gold it received at February’s World Whiskies Award event.
With yet another batch of awards for Starward and other local makers, Australian Distillers Association CEO Paul McLeay said the Australian scene is fully poised to challenge nations like Japan, a latter-day whisky powerhouse, on the global export market.
Modelling from the association suggests that, with the right settings, Australia’s spirits export market could top $1 billion by 2035.
Yet strong policy decisions are needed to support those producers, McLeay said, pointing to the excise levelled on alcohol producers.
Brewers and distillers alike have petitioned the federal government to consider pausing excise hikes, which lift twice a year and most recently escalated on August 1.
In the most recent federal budget, the Labor government decided not to put those excise hikes on hold.
“Australia’s whisky industry has all the hallmarks of being able to replicate Australian wine’s success and deliver significant economic growth and employment dividends for the nation,” McLeay said in a statement.
“But similar steps need to be taken to remove the current regulatory and taxation handbrake on industry growth that took place in the 1980s for wine if we have a chance at securing the international investment needed to one day being bigger than Japanese whisky.”
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Senior Business Journalist
Focused on the small business sector, David’s work covers the political, regulatory, and economic issues facing Australian entrepreneurs. Prior to joining SmartCompany, he was a reporter for Business Insider Australia. You can follow him on LinkedIn.
