After a literally excellent year, including being named "Most Awarded Distillery" at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition, Starward is now celebrating a very personal achievement: 15 years of progressive whisky production - a real milestone for Australian whisky. Connoisseurs worldwide can toast the distillery anniversary with the celebratory packaged special bottling Vitalis (Latin for life). The single malt Australian whisky is named after David Vitale, who reached for the stars 15 years ago and started a distillery in Melbourne. With Starward, he established a modern, accessible and uncomplicated whisky that matures in Australian wine casks. Its development is reflected in the anniversary bottling Vitalis. The basis for the single malt are the red wine casks characteristic of Starward. They are complemented by four other cask types from Starward's history. Besides casks that were prefilled with the Australian version of sherry, the Apera, they include casks prefilled with Australia's strong wine Tawny as well as two cask types that Starward experimented with: bourbon and rum casks. Together they produce a fruit-driven, mature and complex single malt with toffee, dried fruit and coffee beans. Tasting Notes: Nose: Soft toffee, sultanas, chocolate-covered pineapple and cedar. Palate: Full-bodied and creamy, with lush dried fruits, red currants and lightly roasted coffee beans. Nice balance with the bright, tropical notes of the raw spirit. Finish: Long and oily with a fine balance of fruit and oak.