Starward 7y/o Distillery Handfill Red Wine Cask#2519 French Oak Barrique 56%ABV 30ml

I got the first three bottles from the first official fill your own bottle at the refurbished and reopened Starward Distillery. The first time they used the equipment there was an air bubble so it didn't work properly so the first bottle is overfilled and I got a very large free dram too. Great fun experience that you get overseas at distilleries but not can try in Australia. There were two casks a White Wine and a Red Wine. I preferred the Red Wine as it was soft on the palate and the whisky was well integrated with the alcohol - it was a bit different - quite refined and there was a fair amount of wine influence but it was a fine old French Bordeaux kind of vibe rather than a big muscular Aussie Shiraz. Berries - strawberry and blackcurrant, tobacco, peach custard danish, a dash of chinese five spice. Often I get a little tannic astringency and more robust oak spice on the finish with Starward red wine single casks - this was softer and mellower than usual - good barrel pick.