Starward (New) Old Fashioned 700ML is a distillery-batched, ready-to-drink Old Fashioned cocktail bottled at 32% ABV in a 700ml format. Named World's Best Premix Cocktail at the 2020 World Premix Awards, this expression showcases the depth of Australian single malt whisky married with house-made bitters and native ingredients.Quick Facts: ABV: 32% | Origin: Melbourne, Victoria, Australia | Bottled Cocktail (RTD) | Distillery: Starward DistilleryProduction & HeritageStarward Distillery operates out of Melbourne, Victoria, where Australia's dynamic climate accelerates whisky maturation in former Australian red wine barrels. The base spirit — Starward's Australian single malt, drawing from their Nova and/or Solera expressions — is double distilled in copper pot stills (a 7,000-litre wash still and a 3,600-litre spirit still) using Australian malted barley fermented for 69 to 72 hours. What separates this bottled cocktail from most RTDs is that the orange bitters are made in-house at the distillery, specifically calibrated to complement the wine-cask character of the whisky, and blended with locally sourced wattleseed and demerara syrup — all developed collaboratively by Starward's distillers and expert bartenders under the same roof.Tasting NotesAroma: Rich vanilla and orange dominate the opening, lifted by aromatic bitters and warm spice. Bright citrus threads through the background, adding vibrancy to the nose.Taste: The entry is decadent and full-bodied, with the red wine-barrel influence immediately apparent. Mid-palate, dry wattleseed and coffee notes emerge, balanced by red fruit and orange. The interplay between the whisky's natural sweetness and the bitter-citrus components creates a layered, cocktail-bar complexity.Finish: Long, sweet, and dry in equal measure. The balance between demerara richness and bitter spice lingers well after each sip.How to Drink Starward Old FashionedPour over a single large ice cube in a rocks glass and garnish with an expressed orange peel — the cocktail is already balanced and requires no additional mixing. For a twist, try it with a smoked orange peel to accentuate the bitters. It can also serve as a base in a Boulevardier riff, substituting part of the whisky component with this bottled blend for added depth. Use it in a Black Manhattan variation, where the wattleseed and coffee notes align naturally with amaro. A simple Whisky Highball with premium soda water opens up the citrus and spice for a lighter, longer serve.Best For Hosting a cocktail night without the hassle of a full bar setup Gifting a whisky or cocktail enthusiast who values Australian craft spirits Taking to outdoor gatherings, picnics, or barbecues where bar tools are impractical Exploring Australian whisky through a familiar, accessible cocktail format Frequently Asked QuestionsWhat does Starward Old Fashioned taste like? It delivers a rich, full-bodied profile of vanilla, orange, red fruit, and coffee, with a distinctive dry wattleseed bitterness that balances the sweetness of demerara syrup. The red wine-barrel maturation of the base whisky adds a fruity depth uncommon in most bottled Old Fashioneds.How does Starward Old Fashioned compare to a bar-made Old Fashioned? The base whisky's red wine-cask maturation and the use of native wattleseed give it a distinctly Australian character not found in a classic bourbon- or rye-based Old Fashioned. At 32% ABV, it sits slightly lower in strength than a traditionally stirred Old Fashioned, making it smoother and more immediately approachable.Is Starward Old Fashioned good for cocktail beginners? Yes — the drink arrives fully balanced and ready to pour, removing the guesswork of proportions and technique. Its 32% ABV and natural sweetness make it less intense than a spirit-forward bar pour, serving as a welcoming introduction to whisky cocktails.Where is Starward Old Fashioned made? It is produced entirely at Starward Distillery in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. The bitters, syrup blending, and batching all occur on-site, using the same copper pot stills and red wine barrels that produce Starward's core single malt range.What foods pair well with Starward Old Fashioned? Dark chocolate truffles complement the coffee and wattleseed bitterness. Smoked brisket or barbecued ribs match the whisky's full body. Aged cheddar contrasts its sweetness with savory sharpness. Orange-glazed duck echoes the citrus bitters, and a vanilla bean crème brûlée mirrors the barrel-driven vanilla notes.What sizes does Starward Old Fashioned come in? The standard offering is a 700ml bottle at 32% ABV, which yields approximately seven to eight cocktail servings depending on pour size.Is Starward Old Fashioned worth the price? It positions as a premium bottled cocktail, and the use of genuine single malt whisky (rather than a neutral grain spirit) alongside house-made bitters and native Australian ingredients places it well above mass-market RTD offerings in quality and complexity.Why Starward Old Fashioned?Winning World's Best Premix Cocktail and Best Contemporary Cocktail at the 2020 World Premix Awards is not incidental — it reflects a product built from the ground up by distillers and bartenders working side by side. The decision to make the orange bitters in-house, calibrated specifically to the red wine-barrel character of Starward's single malt, gives this bottled cocktail an internal coherence that pre-mixed competitors rarely achieve. The inclusion of locally sourced wattleseed — a distinctly Australian botanical — anchors the drink in its Melbourne origins and adds a dry, earthy dimension that separates it from conventional Old Fashioned recipes. For anyone seeking the quality of a well-made bar cocktail with the convenience of a bottle, this remains one of the most credible options in the RTD category.
