Starward Nova Single Malt Australian Whisky
Starward Nova Single Malt Australian Whisky is a 750mL single malt bottled at 41% ABV (82 proof), distilled in Melbourne from 100% Australian malted barley with craft brewers' yeast and matured exclusively in Australian red wine barrels — Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon and Pinot Noir casks sourced from wineries including the Barossa and Yarra Valley, filled fresh while still wet with wine. Nova is Starward's signature single malt and the backbone of its red wine barrel house style. It is available to order online at Del Mesa Liquor.
- ABV: 41% (82 proof)
- Size: 750mL
- Grain: 100% Australian malted barley, double-distilled
- Casks: Fully matured in Australian red wine barrels (Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir)
- Age: No age statement
- Origin: Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- Awards: Platinum Medal, San Francisco World Spirits Competition 2024; Gold Medal, SFWSC 2020
The Signature Malt of Melbourne's Wine-Barrel Distillery
David Vitale founded Starward in 2007 to make a whisky that could only come from Melbourne: local barley, local wine barrels, and a climate that swings hard enough to drive spirit deep into wine-seasoned oak in a fraction of the time a cool-climate malt needs. Nova, which debuted in Australia in 2016 and was Starward's first US expression, is where that programme is purest — a single malt that spends its whole maturation in red wine barrels rather than visiting them for a finish. Explore the distillery on the Starward vendor page, or browse our whisky collection.
Tasting Notes
Per the brand: bright red berries and orchard fruit with soft oak spice on the nose; red berry pudding, vanilla, caramel and spice on the palate; a long, balanced finish as the fruit and baking spice linger.
How to Enjoy
Neat to catch the full wine-barrel fruit, or over a single cube; it also makes a strikingly fruity Old Fashioned. More single malts are in our spirits collection.
Frequently Asked Questions
What barrels is Starward Nova matured in?
Exclusively Australian red wine barrels — Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon and Pinot Noir casks, lightly charred or steamed and often filled fresh from the winery. The whisky is fully matured in them, not just finished.
What proof is Starward Nova?
82 proof (41% ABV) in the 750mL US bottling.
How old is Starward Nova?
It carries no age statement. Melbourne's variable climate matures whisky faster than cool-climate regions, and Starward does not label Nova with a year count.
Red wine barrels, Melbourne weather, pure malt — order Starward Nova online from Del Mesa Liquor, San Diego, CA.