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Starlight Distillery Honey Reserve Bourbon Review

What happens when bourbon is finished in barrels that once held farm-harvested honey? Starlight's Honey Reserve delivers a sweet, honey-forward surprise.

OVERALL RATING

6
$64.99
  • Charles Steele is an attorney and whiskey enthusiast with a penchant for the peculiar.
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Tasting Notes

About:

Starlight Distillign out of Indiana has released their Honey Reserve Bourbon. This limited release is a part of the 25 year legacy that is Starlight Distilling.

From their press release, “This limited-release bourbon begins with Starlight’s signature sweet mash bourbon, distilled on a Vendome copper pot still using grains grown on the Huber family’s 700+ acre estate. After maturing in new American oak barrels, the bourbon is finished in specially prepared barrels that previously held barrel-aged honey harvested from hives located throughout the farm.

The finishing barrels used for Honey Reserve previously held honey produced from hives located across the Huber family farm. These hives are pollinated by nearby orchard fruits and wildflowers, creating honey with delicate floral and fruit-driven character.”

As a beekeeper myself, I think this is really quite interesting and I am a fan of re-using honey barrels!
Appearance:
A light clear copper in color with thin and fast legs. Tasted neat in a Glencairn glass.
Nose:
The nose opens to orchard notes of grass, soft clove honey and white sugar. Over time it gives off almost a cherry cola.
Palate:
The palate is soft sweet and smooth. Starts with a suprising pop of pepper before evolving into more buttery honey and white sugar. Very faint cigar wrapper across the back of the palate.
Finish:
The finish is soft and short simply of light honey.
Comments:
This is exactly what you sign up for. It is honey forward and honey on the backend. It doesn’t really give off a complex bourbon profile but has some body to it. Overall this is a great item to mix into a cocktail or lemonade to give it something a little extra! To be sure this is honey finished not mixed with honey which does provide a little different texture and profile.

Ultimately if you’re into sweet Summer cocktails, or looking for a new addition to the bar cart, this could be a great selection.

Editor’s Note: This whiskey was either bought as a sample by The Whiskey Wash or provided to us as a review sample by the party behind it. Per our editorial policies, this in no way influenced the outcome of this review.

Charles Steele

Charles Steele, a Portland-based attorney, is a native of the Pacific Northwest. His legal background provides him with an analytical approach to understanding whiskey and other aged spirits. Primarily a legal writer, freelancing for The Whiskey Wash offers Charles a unique opportunity to showcase his versatility as a writer. Although his preference lies with whiskey and whiskey-based cocktails, he has a profound appreciation for all unique and unconventional liquors, from Malört to Ojen - if it's peculiar, he's intrigued.

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