For a lot of whiskey fans, “Indiana whiskey” has lengthy been synonymous with MGP in Lawrenceburg—a powerhouse identified for its scale and constant high quality. However simply 150 miles southeast in Borden, one other title has steadily constructed its personal legacy: Starlight Distillery.
Based in 2001, Starlight initially made its mark with brandy, releasing its first business expression in 2004. A decade later, in 2013, the distillery turned its consideration to bourbon. Since then, Starlight has gained a loyal following, releasing a wide selection of whiskey expressions sometimes aged round 4 years. As its status has grown, so too has demand—from collectors, connoisseurs, and informal drinkers alike—for extra mature spirits with prolonged age statements.
In the summertime of 2025, Starlight delivered in a significant method with the discharge of three extremely anticipated Indiana whiskeys: Starlight Indiana Straight Bourbon and Starlight Indiana Uplands American Single Malt, each aged for 10 years, together with Starlight Honey Reserve Bourbon, aged 5-7 years.
Every of those new expressions gives considerably extra age than what followers have seen from Starlight up to now. They have been double distilled on a 500-gallon Vendome pot nonetheless and fermented in closed-top chrome steel tanks, however allowed to age longer. In June 2025, I had the chance to go to the distillery for an unique sneak preview of the bourbon and single malt. I additionally acquired a pattern of all three expressions for overview.
Starlight has constructed a powerful status with its younger whiskey, however with a decade of maturation behind them, how do these older expressions measure up? Let’s dive in.
Starlight Indiana Straight Bourbon 10 Years Outdated Evaluation
This launch marks a historic milestone for Starlight Distillery: its first bourbon to hold a 10-year age assertion. The whiskey is a mix of eight barrels, that includes an undisclosed ratio of the distillery’s two signature mash payments—one composed of 60% corn, 20% rye, and 20% malted barley, and the opposite that includes 51% corn, 20% rye, 20% malted barley, and 9% wheat.
The Hubers leaned into their agricultural roots, utilizing a mix of heirloom corn varietals—yellow, white, purple, and blue—all grown in Indiana. The rye, a non-GMO winter selection, was additionally regionally sourced. The grain underwent a 7-day candy mash fermentation earlier than being double-distilled on a pot nonetheless, with the spirit coming off between 120 and 135 proof. The whiskey was barreled between Might 15 and June 3, 2015.
For maturation, Starlight turned to the extremely regarded Seguin Moreau cooperage in Napa Valley, sourcing premium 225-liter Icone Elevation barrels—every costing $1,200, plus freight. Initially designed for daring purple wines like Cabernet Sauvignon, Bordeaux blends, and Syrah, these barrels are crafted utilizing staves analyzed for his or her concentrations of fragrant and structural compounds, a course of that determines their Enological Potential. The barrels featured a spread of char ranges (#1–4) and toasted heads.
Getting older started in Warehouse #1 for the primary three years earlier than the barrels have been transferred to the warmest pocket of Warehouse #2, the place they spent the remaining seven years. The barrels have been dumped on July 10, 2025, and the bourbon was bottled at a cask energy of 120.3 proof.
After 10 years of slumber, the bourbon opens with a nostril filled with dried cherries and darkish brown sugar. The candy aromas are rapidly balanced with earthy and tannic notes by means of roasted chestnuts and light-weight pipe tobacco. The nostril is balanced and attractive, setting the expectations excessive for the palate.
The palate will get underway to vanilla extract earlier than rapidly giving technique to closely smoked bacon. Because the expertise continues, notes of chai tea add a wholesome quantity of spice earlier than assembly a fruity grenadine observe. The mouthfeel presents as a medium-thick viscosity. The prolonged end ushers in notes of gentle tobacco, cinnamon, and black cardamom. Packing 10 years of maturation, Starlight delivers a improbable bourbon with a great deal of balanced character.
The $250 worth is steep, however given the excessive price of the barrels and the truth that different small distilleries have launched high quality expressions with equal or lesser age statements at larger costs, the $250 worth isn’t unprecedented. If the value is in your funds, you received’t be disillusioned. That is actually a bottle to hunt in 2025. 120.3 proof. A / $250
Starlight Honey Reserve Bourbon Evaluation
Honey Reserve is initially constructed in a similar way to the 10-year-old bourbon, mixing 50 barrels drawn from Starlight’s 3-grain and 4-grain bourbon mashbills. The distillate initially matured in fire-charred barrels, primarily sourced from Kelvin and Canton, each that includes #3 char ranges—with the Canton barrels additionally toasted on the heads—at proofs starting from 108 to 114. This primary stage of maturation came about in Warehouses #2 and #3.
The bottom bourbon used on this mix ranges from 5 to 7 years previous, averaging simply over 6 years. Most barrels fall inside a 5.5 to six.5-year window, with fewer than 15% exceeding 7 years and fewer than 20% underneath 5.5 years.
The ending course of concerned fastidiously chosen fire-charred and toasted oak barrels that beforehand held barrel-aged property honey, pollinated and harvested on-site. These ending barrels have been drawn from Starlight’s single-barrel program, and have been beforehand used to age a wide range of wines and spirits—together with straight rye, bourbon, and casks completed with Vino de Naranja, Barbados rum, and sherry.
Secondary maturation occurred completely on the west aspect of Warehouse #2, lasting between 4 and 12 months, with a mean ending time of round 8 months. Fewer than 8 casks have been completed lower than 8 months, whereas 20 barrels prolonged past the 8-month mark.
The nostril opens with underripe white peaches and the waxy scent of pure beeswax. After a brief relaxation within the glass, notes of honey-filled exhausting sweet seem, joined by a floral geranium character. The affect of the honey casks is clearly current however measured. Not like many honey-finished whiskeys, it avoids leaning into syrupy sweetness and as a substitute maintains a clear, composed aroma.
On the palate, the primary impression calls to thoughts a honeybun—bready and candy, with the honey taking part in a quiet however constant position. This transitions into crisp inexperienced apple earlier than giving technique to black pepper and nutmeg, bringing distinction with out overwhelming the senses. The mouthfeel is medium-thick, providing a gradual supply of taste from begin to end. The end carries notes of allspice and boxed vanilla pudding made at residence. A faint honey presence stays by way of to the ultimate moments, ending with purple raspberry exhausting sweet.
What units Honey Reserve aside is its capability to take care of readability. The ending casks improve the profile with out masking the bourbon’s authentic character—a rarity on this class. As a substitute of leaning on sweetness, it integrates the honey affect with management. That is simply among the many finest honey-finished bourbons I’ve tasted. For many who have discovered others on this fashion too sugary or one-note, Honey Reserve gives a convincing motive to take one other have a look at what honey-cask whiskey can ship. 106 proof. A / $65
Starlight Indiana Uplands American Single Malt 10 Years Outdated Evaluation
This well-aged American single malt begins with a mashbill of 100% 2-row malted barley, fermented for about seven days. Fairly than concentrating on a hard and fast distillation proof, every run was distilled by style, with some taken as little as 110 proof and others reaching as much as 130. This hands-on method allowed for better management over taste throughout distillation.
The spirit was barreled in April 2015 at entry proofs between 108 and 112, and aged till June 12, 2025. Maturation came about fully in used barrels, with the inspiration laid in ex-Starlight bourbon casks—particularly a curated choice of older single barrels the Huber household thought of standouts. These barrels beforehand held each of Starlight’s bourbon mashbills.
The ultimate mix showcases a wide range of ending casks: 25% Pedro Ximénez sherry, 25% ex-bourbon, 20% Vino de Naranja, 20% ex-peated Scotch, and 10% Barbados rum. All barrels have been matured in Warehouse #2 on the east aspect—identified to be the good and most humid a part of the property—ultimate circumstances for long-term ageing. After a decade of slow-proofing, the whiskey was bottled at 98 proof.
The nostril opens with the sweetness of do-it-yourself strawberry jam, adopted by a floral honeysuckle aroma. As soon as the floral impression fades, a transparent observe of Frosted Cheerios takes its place, giving the aroma profile a playful, cereal-like character. Whereas the bouquet is pleasurable, it comes throughout as considerably restrained in depth.
On the palate, the whiskey begins with flavors of dehydrated apple chips and light-weight brown sugar. The midpalate transitions right into a cohesive taste that calls to thoughts malted milk balls—providing a malty, chocolate-adjacent high quality. The end begins with the deep toastiness of marshmallows over open flame, shifting into the dry crunch of saltine crackers. On the very finish, burnt orange peel asserts itself, offering a pointy, barely bitter shut.
Total, it is a well-crafted instance of American single malt whiskey. Whereas the nostril may provide extra presence, particularly after 10 years of ageing, the palate delivers a satisfying and well-balanced expertise. At $90, it stands as a worthwhile and dependable buy for these searching for high quality on this class. 98 proof. A- / $90
Starlight Indiana Straight Bourbon 10 Years Outdated
USD250
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