Starlight Distillery Carl T. Huber’s Indiana Straight Bourbon Whiskey

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 in pot stills and aged on the property. Starlight Distillery Carl T. Huber’s Indiana Straight Bourbon Whiskey is 92 proof, made in small batches of around 20 barrels, costs around $35, and is comprised of two mashbills that can be further broken down since the distillery used 4 varieties of corn (yellow dent, blue Hopi, Lancaster white, and Bloody Butcher). 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. 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. 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

Amber

Nose

The nose is light and floral with notes of vanilla, fresh fruit, cinnamon, corn, and a touch of rye spice.

Palate

The palate has a very traditional note that I associate with pot stills as well as notes of vanilla, fresh fruit, and rye spice that carry over from the nose. This bourbon is a low to medium viscosity.

Finish

This bourbon has a short to medium finish and has the pot still, vanilla, and cinnamon notes that were present on the palate.

In closing

This is a bourbon that at the $35 price point could be drank neat on a warm summer day or used in a cocktail. The other exciting thing about this whiskey is that it is a minimum of 4 years old currently and is only going to get older and more complex as the distillery matures into its sweet spot of 7 to 9 years. Also, 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 whiskey but instead a distillery that is right there in the conversation with distilleries like Peerless, New Riff, Belle Meade, and MGP. Be on the lookout for this up and coming distillery!