Starward Left-Field
The Single Malt Whisky Left-Field by Starward from Australia matures exclusively in former Australian red wine casks made of French oak. We are pretty happy to say that we found our Whisky of the Summer 2022.The Left-Field belongs to the core-range of Starward and is thus always available. You often have to put down quite a sum of money for Single Malt Whiskys from countries other than Scotland. This bottling is affordable even for the smaller purse. Starward themself praise the Whisky as an easily accessible all-rounder.
The panel
Mean 79.0 · spread 0
Value for money 4/5
- Distillery
- Starward
- Type
- Single Malt
- Country
- Australia
- Strength
- 40% ABV
- Character
- mellow
Tasting
Nose
A strong and very intense smell of honey with orange pieces, apricot jam and vanilla literally shoots up our noses. Sweet grapes and juicy apple follow shortly after. A finch of nutmeg and mild pepper are perceptible. It feels like we are sitting in the summer in the south with a sea view in front of a fruit plate.
Palate
A very wine-like (I wonder. why...) taste presents itself. Apricot and tropical fruits dance with vanilla, malt and oak spice. One could almost say: Wine vs. Bourbon. Only the solvent-like bourbon aromas are missing. On the whole the whisky presents mild, sweet, and slightly oily. A few more %ABV might have made this flavour-profile of the NAS Whisky a little more interesting.
Finish
Smooth, nutty, peppery an slightly woody, the wine - eh Whisky - disappears after some time. The tropical fruits linger on.
Verdicts
Marcel
A true summer buddy with a fruity bouquet that’s fun and sure to delight whisky newcomers. If you’re looking for a light, sweet dram that’s not too complicated, here you’ll find a charming companion for garden parties – more charm than depth, but just right for relaxed evenings.
Sascha
The Starward Left-Field impresses with its balanced interplay of fruity notes and subtle oak spice, yet it somewhat falls short of its full potential. At 40% ABV, a slightly stronger presence would be desirable to more clearly define the balance between sweetness and spice.
What it is worth
No auction record for this distillery, so we cannot tell you what this bottle is worth. We would rather say that than guess.