Well aged oak | Gentle white peppercorn | Touch of sweet vanilla cream | Aged leather | Light wildflower honey | Faint barrel char

Gentle white peppercorn spice | Light rye spice | Vanilla syrup | Faint pound cake | Oak | Peach ice cream | Delicate composition | Silky mouthfeel 

Rye spice | Vanilla frosting | Pleasing oak | Prickly mixed peppercorn | Slight leather | Lingering spice

Starlight Distillery is located on the grounds of the Huber estate. Housing Huber’s Orchard & Winery, according to the company, they “began farming back in 1843 when our ancestors settled in Starlight, Indiana, from Baden-Baden, Germany. Growing primarily fruit, our farm began to diversify in 1978 when we opened the doors of our winery.” Now on its 7th generation, Huber estate produces a variety of crops that are grown alongside the onsite distillery that produces an assortment of brandies and whiskeys. They began distilling bourbon in 2013.

Starlight Distillery isn’t afraid to shy away from barrel finished bourbons. Embracing a range of finishing types such as honey, wine, and Amburana barrels has allowed the company to showcase their whiskeys in new and innovative ways. For this latest release, the company looked towards a rare oak product from Japan. Mizunara oak is one of the rarest woods in the world, and is typically a staggering 200-500 years old before it’s harvested, which is a result of strict Japanese laws that regulate the amount of this slow growing tree that can be harvested each year. The structure of the oak is different from typical white oak that’s required to age bourbon (most is American white oak, but being “American” is not required), with Mizunara oak being more porous and containing fewer tannins.

The eight barrel blend used to produce Starlight’s Mizunara Finished Bourbon results in a nuanced sip. Well aged oak rests atop sweet cream and gentle white peppercorn, while aged leather provides for a more well rounded aroma. Pleasing spice and sweetness form at the midpoint of the sip, with vanilla syrup and peach ice cream notes creating a silky composition. Similar veins of flavor notes push through to the finish as spice, earthy notes and a sweet vanilla frosting swirl together. 

Overall, this is a really nice showing for a Mizunara finished bourbon that plays well into the four grain mashbill used. Mizunara can be a fickle finishing barrel, however the resulting flavors produced by Starlight are delicate and delicious, highlighting what can go right when utilizing this type of finishing oak. While its asking price is high, Starlight Distillery Mizunara Finished Bourbon will be worth it for those who enjoy a more nuanced and delicate double oaked product. 

The bourbon in review is from Batch #002.