Exploring the Craftsmanship of Starlight Distillery - Your Local Liquor Store in Liverpool, NY

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Discover Starlight Distillery's legacy and its range of spirits, which reflect the brand’s rich heritage. Explore their unique farm-to-bottle philosophy and innovative flavors at Pascale's Liverpool, 7401 Oswego Road, Liverpool, NY 13090.

Introduction to Starlight Distillery

The story of Starlight Distillery began with Simon Huber, who migrated from Baden-Baden, Germany, to Southern Indiana in 1843. The Huber family, owning Indiana's largest fruit farm, sought to continue their ancestral tradition by producing brandy. Their efforts led to the establishment of Starlight Distillery after successfully advocating for legislative changes that allowed the production of farm brandies and ports.

In 2000, the acquisition of an 80-gallon pot still marked the beginning of Starlight Distillery's brandy production. By 2004, the first Huber brandy was made available, and in the following years, the distillery expanded its range to include bourbon, becoming one of Indiana's first distilleries to do so. The expansion was highlighted by a new stillhouse and the introduction of Carl T Bourbon, named after the family's patriarch. Today, Starlight Distillery offers a diverse range of spirits, including rye, vodka, gin, and blackberry whiskey, distributed across 18 states and Alberta, Canada.

Starlight Distillery’s Approach to Finishing

Brazilian Amburana Barrels: This finishing imparts warm spices like cinnamon and vanilla, along with a creamy texture. It's perfect for sipping alongside desserts like flan or caramel pudding – a cozy choice for autumn evenings or festive gatherings.
Scottish Ale Barrels: Adds malt, caramel, and subtle hoppy notes, enhancing the whiskey's structure and mouthfeel. Ideal for pairing with rich, savory dishes like roasted meats or hearty stews.
Sherry Barrels: Contributes dark fruit, nuts, and spice flavors. This complex profile pairs well with aged cheeses, nuts, or dark chocolate, making it a sophisticated option for formal events or as an after-dinner sipper.
VDN (Vino de Naranja) Barrels: Adds bright citrus notes, complementing seafood or citrus-based desserts. It's a refreshing choice for summer gatherings or as a celebratory drink in settings that favor lighter, more vibrant flavors
Triple Sec Barrels: Features sweet and tart orange flavors. It is ideal for cocktails or as an aperitif with citrus-based appetizers, such as ceviche. This is a versatile option for cocktail parties or festive occasions.
Rum Barrels: Adds sweetness, tropical fruit, and molasses, perfect for pairing with barbecue, smoked meats, or tropical desserts. Suitable for outdoor gatherings, or as a comforting warmer in cooler months.
Port Barrels: Introduces red berry, plum, and chocolate notes, complementing blue cheese and rich desserts or as an after-dinner treat on its own. It is ideal for romantic evenings, holiday celebrations, or as a luxurious gift.
Cherry Liqueur Barrels: Brings out cherry sweetness and almond undertones, excellent with chocolate desserts or as part of a dessert cocktail. This choice is best for Valentine's Day, anniversaries, or any occasion that calls for a sweet, romantic touch.

Starlight Distillery Applejack

Starlight Distillery's Applejack Brandy, crafted from estate-grown apples, follows traditional distillation methods in an 80-gallon copper pot still on the Huber estate. Aged in charred American oak barrels, this brandy features a harmonious blend of apple, caramel, and oak. It serves well neat, on the rocks, or as a cocktail base.

Tasting notes include an initial taste of raisins, caramel, butterscotch, French vanilla, spiced apples, and sweet toasted oak. The brandy has a deep amber color, with aromas of caramel, dried apples, and summer fruits. It has a warm, long finish highlighted by baking spices and floral notes.

Starlight Distillery Bourbon

CARL T. BOURBON WHISKEY

Carl T. Bourbon Whiskey combines 3-grain and 4-grain mash bills, is distilled in copper pot stills, and aged for over four years in Huber's Rickhouses on the historic 7th-generation Huber estate. This sustainable bourbon is elegant, fruit-driven, and sweet, perfect for sipping neat. It's named in honor of the fourth-generation Huber, Carl T. Huber.

Review by Breaking Bourbon
Nose: Brandy-soaked cherries, prunes, stewed apples, smoke, toasted marshmallow
Palate: Walnut, baking spice, molasses, baked apples
Finish: Nutty, walnut, leather, black peppercorn, touch of smoke, lingering dry oak

Starlight Distillery's cask-strength bourbon, aged for four years on the historic Huber estate in Starlight, Indiana, surprises with its dark, robust flavor profile. This bourbon has a complex blend of walnut, baking spices, molasses, baked apples, leather, and black peppercorn – a mature flavor profile that belies its age.

SINGLE BARREL CARL T. BOURBON WHISKEY

Tasting notes vary significantly due to the extremely limited quantities and unique characteristics of each release.

The proof of the Carl T. Single Barrel Bourbons changes with each selection. Crafted from both 3-grain and 4-grain mash bills through 100% sweet mash fermentation and distilled in copper pot stills, these bourbons are aged for at least four years. Each barrel is carefully chosen by our Master Distillers, ensuring the bourbons are uncut, unfiltered, and presented straight from the barrel.

DOUBLE OAKED CARL T. BOURBON WHISKEY

At Starlight, extensive collaboration with selected cooperages has led to the creation of innovative barrel profiles, custom-made to precise specifications, giving the double oak variant its intense flavor profile.

Review by Breaking Bourbon
Nose: Rich vanilla, cherry, apple, butterscotch, with enjoyable intensity
Palate: Vanilla, baking spice, cinnamon, apple pie, oak, thin mouthfeel contrasted by rich flavors
Finish: Oak, leather, overly dry

Starlight Distillery enhances its Double Oak Carl T. Bourbon Whiskey by adding a second aging process, where the initially matured, cask-strength Carl T. small batch bourbon is transferred into new heavy toasted, lightly charred oak barrels. This enriched flavor profile starts with an introduction of toasted oak, butterscotch, and salted caramel, which gently softens on the palate, giving way to French vanilla, toffee, and subtle red fruit notes, ending with a long, warm, and complex finish, marked by a pleasing level of sweetness.

BOTTLED-IN-BOND CARL T. BOURBON WHISKEY

Starlight Distillery's bottled-in-bond bourbon, distilled in copper pots and aged for 4 years in Huber’s Old Rickhouse, offers an elegant, soft, and sweet profile at 100 proof, perfect for sipping or craft cocktails.

Review by Breaking Bourbon
Nose: Rich notes of caramel, toffee, dried red fruits and toasted oak.
Palate: Toasted oak, butterscotch, melted caramel, french vanilla, and toffee with red fruit notes.
Finish: Long, warm and complex with a nice level of sweetness.

Starlight Carl T. Huber's Bottled-in-Bond Bourbon uses a unique mix of mashbills and has a classic bourbon taste that stands out from typical Indiana bourbons. While priced similarly to other bottled-in-bond bourbons from comparable distilleries, it competes with the brand's own Small Batch and Single Barrel offerings, which may offer better value.

Need Whiskey Recommendations?

Starlight Distillery, with its unique barrel-finished spirits and farm-to-bottle philosophy, provides a unique and sustainable tasting experience that honors its rich heritage. For more information or to explore their selection, visit Pascale's Liverpool at 7401 Oswego Road, Liverpool, NY 13090, call (315) 701-0781, or browse its selection online at https://pascalesliquor.com/