Starward Vitalis 15th Birthday Release Single Malt Australian Whisky
Starward Vitalis 15th Birthday Release Single Malt Australian Whisky celebrates fifteen years of the Melbourne distillery — a limited-edition single malt blended from six hand-selected parcels aged four to ten years and bottled at 52% ABV (104 proof) in a 700mL bottle. Named for founder David Vitale (Vitalis is Latin for "life"), it draws on every cask type that built Starward's name: red wine barrels, tawny Port, bourbon, first- and second-fill apera, and rum. It is available to order online at Del Mesa Liquor, San Diego, CA.
- ABV: 52% (104 proof) — bottled at a bold, cask-driven strength
- Size: 700mL
- Age: six parcels aged 4–10 years, filled 2011–2018
- Maturation: red wine barrels, tawny Port casks, bourbon barrels, first- and second-fill apera (Australian sherry-style) casks, and rum barrels
- Origin: Starward Distillery, Port Melbourne, Australia — founded 2007 by David Vitale; Australian malted barley, brewer's yeast fermentation
- Release: limited 15th-anniversary edition (2022); Double Gold, 2023 San Francisco World Spirits Competition
Fifteen Years, Six Parcels, One Vitalis
Starward began with a simple provocation — why weren't people maturing whisky in red wine barrels? — and fifteen years later, Vitalis is the answer in a bottle: six parcels, each a chapter of the distillery's story, from tawny and rum to bourbon and apera. Blended for fruit-forward complexity and bottled at 52%, it is a time capsule of what Melbourne's wild temperature swings do to whisky in oak.
Tasting Notes
The nose is rich and inviting — chewy toffee, raisins, chocolate-coated pineapple, and cedar. The palate is big and viscous: dried fruits, ripe red currants, and lightly roasted coffee beans, with bright tropical notes and old-school Starward spirit underneath. The finish is long and oily, balancing fruit and oak with the weight of the higher ABV.
How to Enjoy
Pour neat and give it a few minutes — the tropical fruit opens beautifully with air. For the international whisky explorer, it sits alongside the great Scotch whiskies in complexity while tasting unmistakably Australian; a splash of water softens the 52% without dulling the fruit.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does "Vitalis" mean?
It is Latin for "life" — a nod to Starward founder David Vitale, whose surname inspired the name of this anniversary bottling.
What casks were used for Starward Vitalis?
Six parcels across red wine barrels, tawny Port, bourbon, first- and second-fill apera casks, and rum barrels, filled between 2011 and 2018.
Is Vitalis a limited edition?
Yes — a one-time 15th-anniversary release from 2022; when the allocation is gone, it is gone.
Order Starward Vitalis online at Del Mesa Liquor in San Diego, CA — fifteen years of Melbourne whisky in one bottle.