Can a single malt whisky ever be used in a cocktail or with a mixer? It is not a debate that I am going to try to solve today.
However, when Australian whisky company Starward launched a new whisky that it says is a single malt and perfect for creating cocktails I had to give it a go.
A whisky distilled in Melbourne is not really as outrageous as it sounds. The city is surrounded by some of Australia's best wine regions and has had a craft brewery scene that can hold its own against any major city in the world. So it was only a matter of time before somebody had the bright idea to create a Melbourne whisky.
I had the pleasure of visiting Starward's Melbourne distillery back in 2018 when Starward Solera was the most exciting new whisky on the Australian scene. The distillery is a fantastic hang out, with a rustic whisky bar within full view of the stills, tasting boards and even the ability to buy yourself an entire cask and get bottlings on demand.
Solera has been my go-to whisky suggestion ever since. I've shipped it over for friends and family and I've been delighted to see Starward begin to make real roads into the UK market. For me, Starward is the perfect whisky gift for a UK whisky drinker. It feels exotic, coming from the other side of the world, but is accessible, easy to drink and Solera in particular has beautifully balanced spice and sweetness. At around £60 it's also a bargain.
Solera was followed by Nova and a few more premium single batch bottles. But Starward works best when it is producing laid back, unpretentious whisky. Not satisfied with the standard single malt bottling it has now launched a whisky called Left Field that not only can be used with mixers but the distillery is actively encouraging you to do so. They even sell a pre-mixed bottle of single malt and bitters so that you can have your own Old Fashioned ready to go at a moment's notice.
If your first reaction to single malt in a cocktail is to recoil in horror I understand. A lot of serious Scotch drinkers will not even contemplate a drop of ice in their whisky so as to enjoy all of the nuances of flavour. However I do enjoy a whisky cocktail and surely one with a good quality single malt will be better than a poorer quality blend?
In fact, a single malt that is actually designed to be used with mixers is the perfect solution. You do not feel guilt for 'wasting' whisky by mixing it and you still get to enjoy a quality product at the end. On a hot summer's day it may be the perfect compromise. It is also on sale at Waitrose at a respectable £25. This is very much a whisky aimed at the mass market.
It stands a chance of success. Tasting Starward Left Field without any ice or mixers is lightly biting into a juicy apple. The fruit flavours burst out from the beginning before leaving a lovely richer red wine feel afterwards. It is a whisky that I would enjoy on its own. It feels more 'English' than Starward's other offerings, reminding me a little of the heavy fruit from my choice for best whisky of 2023, Cotswolds. I can't really give it any higher compliment.
But the key test is once the whisky is mixed with tonic and bitters for a traditional Old Fashioned cocktail.
I thoroughly enjoyed it. The whisky's sweetness balances nicely with the tonic and the flavour still pulls through without overpowering. It does not taste like a watered down single malt, but instead does feel like its own drink, different enough from a neat dram of Left Field but with similar flavour notes. I do not drink a lot of cocktails but when I have ventured for an Old Fashioned while out and about they are often harsh and quite bitter. This is not the case here and it will definitely be another drink I add to my repertoire when the weather gets warm.
Is Left Field the best whisky on the market? Probably not. Is it one of the best value whiskies on the market at the moment? I think so. For just £25 you get a real quality single malt that packs a fruity punch and is perfect for somebody who wants to avoid the heavily peated smokey whiskies of the world and wants something a bit more 'everyday'.
At £25 you also won't be worried about throwing in some tonic, a dash of bitters and enjoying a refreshing Old Fashioned on a summer's day. A whisky-drinking colleague of mine, who has already taken my advice and treated himself to a bottle of Left Field, also recommends it with a dash of Disaronno as another alternative if tonic is not your thing.
You can buy Starward Left Field here.
How to make a Starward Left Field Old Fashioned:
- Ingredients: 60ml Starward Left-Field whisky, 10ml sugar syrup, 2 dashes Orange Bitters, 2 dashes Angostura Bitters, pink grapefruit to garnish
- Equipment required: Jigger, Mixing Glass, Rocks Glass
- Method: 1) Add Left-Field, bitters and sugar syrup to a mixing glass. 2) Stir over ice and serve in a rocks glass over ice. 3) Garnish with pink grapefruit slice.
