A little background
Starlight distillery is located in Starlight, Indiana which is about 20 minutes north of Louisville, KY. All of their offerings are made using the sweet mash technique, and all of the barrels they use are air dried for a minimum of 2 years with some air dried up to 4 years. The distillery prides itself on being family owned and truly providing a farm to bottle experience. All of the whiskey is Starlight distillate distilled and aged on the property. Starlight Distillery Carl T. Huber’s Double Oaked Bourbon Whiskey is 96 proof, made in small batches, costs around $60, and is comprised of two mashbills that can be further broken down since the distillery used 4 varieties of corn. The 1st mash bill is 60% corn, 20% rye, and 20% malted barley while the 2nd mashbill is 51% corn, 20% rye, 20% malted barley, and and 9% wheat. After being aged for 4 years in its original barrel it is aged for an additional 8 months in an unused Seguin Moreau Vanilla Toast barrel. The history of the distillery is very unique and runs 8 generations deep. The current distilling is conducted by Ted and his sons Christian and Blake who are two of the up and coming stars of the industry in my opinion. The distillery is also unique in that it sits on the same property as Huber Winery which is also owned by the family and offers activities for adults and children alike.
(Tasted neat from a Glencairn Glass)
Color
Dark Amber
Nose
The nose has notes of vanilla and corn that are apparent right off the bat. This is accompanied by notes of apple, pear, and rye spice.
Palate
The whiskey is a medium viscosity and hits the mid-palate with notes of vanilla, cinnamon, fresh fruit, corn, and floral undertones. The palate is light and refreshing with a low to medium viscosity.
Finish
This is a short to medium length finish where the vanilla, corn, cinnamon, and rye spice from the palate carry through.
In closing
Carl T Huber’s Double Oaked Bourbon Whiskey would be great to sip on a hot summer day but at the $60 price point could be more of a special occasion pour. I enjoy that the bourbon carries an age statement of a minimum of 4 years, and that the bottle has a lot of transparency. Future iterations of this release are only going to be better as the product continues to age and gain complexity as the distillery matures into its sweet spot of 7 to 9 year product. Be on the lookout for the single barrel, barrel proof picks of this offering as the distillery has a developing single barrel program. This is not your typical Indiana distillery but instead a distillery that is right there in the conversation with distilleries like Peerless, New Riff, and MGP. Be on the lookout for this up and coming distillery!
Starlight Distillery Carl T Huber's Double Oaked Bourbon Whiskey
96 Proof
The Good
- Transparency
- Age Statement
- Refreshing
- Farm to Bottle
The Bad
- Availability
Complexity
9
Nose
8.5
Palate
8.5
Finish
7.5
Value
7.5
I tried the Limited Edition Double Oak that Total Wine selected and is pushing right now. They have pallets of it. The LE DO has a reddish hue to it and has a little bite to it at 104.6 proof. I tried it immediately after opening and so expect a different experience after it breathes a bit but….I really liked it. It has a pretty good complexity and gives up a lot of flavor across the palate. I have also tried Woodford’s DO and like it too plus it’s about $11 cheaper. I’m told if you go to the distillery you can pick this up for $55. Woodford’s is a little smoother and not as ‘rambunctious’ as Huber’s. One odd tasting note is that from time to time…as I was sipping this over ice…I got a strong scotch taste. It was a hit-and-run taste that just came and went quickly but it happened several times over my tasting. Could be an anomaly due to it needing to breathe or an odd artifact from the second oaking but it was definitely there. I feel it’s a little steep at $66 but if I’m ever over at Starlight I’d pick up a bottle or two at discount. I never cared for their wines but agree that they’re doing a really good job with the distillery and if they turn out some 8, 9, 10 year old bourbons, I’ll be buying.
Marcuss,
Thank you for reading the review and for your feedback. I’m going to have to go back to see if I get that scotch note as well. Cheers!
Complexity
8
Nose
8
Palate
8
Finish
7
Value
7
I just got a sample from a friend. Must also be the new batch as he said it’s over 100 proof.
And it is stellar but as.the review notes, very limited.
Rich vanilla cream nose finding some tobacco at the end of the inhale.
Buttery rich first sip. Mouth coating with a very controlled sweetness in the deep caramel flavor. Does begin to hint as some tannic oak and feels thinner once the palate begins to get used to it and I find myself taking a few minutes between sips to bring back that very enjoyable richness.
Tracked down a bottle for myself. It is a 106 proofer.