Starward Two-Fold Wheat & Single Malt Whisky
The last time I checked the numbers, this was Australia’s highest-selling locally-produced whisky by a wide margin. Why? Put simply, price and availability. As Australia’s first modern blended whisky, it’s also a watershed product, ending 30 years of high-priced, low-volume whiskies and finally putting something affordable on the shelf. A blend of Australian wheat whisky from Manildra and Starward single malt, Two Fold is matured in Aussie red wine casks for a rich, fruity nose that’s not at all thin or vodka-y as many blends can be, with almost perfect integration of cask and grain. I’ve mistaken this for single malt more than once. Light on the palate with no rough edges but with enough oak to give it some real length, it’s a masterclass in blending that belies its cost. Two Fold is to whisky what Cooper’s Pale is to beer: inexpensive, easy to find, uniquely Australian, versatile, and ultimately delicious.
