Starlight Distillery has unveiled its 10-Year Mizunara Reserve, the oldest bourbon it has finished in Mizunara oak to date. The Indiana-based distillery will offer the 250-bottle release through an online lottery opening at noon on Friday, August 28, running through September 12.
The bourbon celebrates Starlight’s win for best overall bourbon at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition (SFWSC) last November.
The expression is drawn from a single Mizunara cask. Of the 250 bottles, 200 will be available for shipping to lottery winners. The remaining 50 bottles will be sold on a first-come, first-served basis on Saturday, September 12, at Starlight Distillery, located at 19816 Huber Road, Borden, Indiana.
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The release is a single-barrel, cask-strength bourbon made using grains from Starlight’s 700-plus-acre farm. It was produced via a sweet mash process and double pot distilled on the distillery’s Vendome copper pot still.
The mash bill comprises 60% corn, 20% rye and 20% malted barley. The bourbon carries a barrel entry proof of 108-116 and is bottled at 110 proof.
The whiskey was first matured in fire-charred, new American white oak barrels. It was then finished in Japanese Mizunara oak, sourced from trees aged 200 to 500 years old and grown on the northernmost island of Japan.
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READ THE STORYAccording to the official tasting notes from the brand, the bourbon offers “notes of sweet French Vanilla and baking spice aromas up front, finishing with a harmonious mix of sandalwood and coconut that compliments this sophisticated and elegant whiskey.”
“This is the oldest bourbon we’ve ever finished in Mizunara to date, and every moment in that cask shows,” said Christian Huber of Starlight Distillery. “Ten years of patience, our family’s farm, and a cask you can’t rush — this release is everything Starlight stands for in one bottle. It’s not simply another 10-year-old bourbon, but a statement of legacy for our family.”
Starlight recently secured six honors at the SFWSC across its portfolio. These included two perfect-scoring Double Gold medals for its Mizunara Reserve Bourbon and Blackberry Flavored Whiskey.
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