Starward Whisky has become the Official Whisky Partner of the globally renowned MICHELIN Guide and will work with the leading culinary authority to roll out a 12-month partnership in the United States.

The partnership aims to complements Starward’s brand ethos of being a versatile whisky that is crafted to pair well with food.

Michelin Guide grades restaurants on their quality. It was originally developed in 1900 to show French drivers where local amenities such as restaurants and mechanics were. The Michelin star rating arrived in the US in 2005 and it now reviews restaurants in select US cities including Chicago, New York, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, and San Francisco.

Starward Founder David Vitale (above) said food was an intrinsic part of Starward’s brand philosophy and DNA.
 
“I grew up in an Italian family in the center of Melbourne, and food was always at the heart of everything I did,” he said. “We’ve crafted our whiskies to be the most food friendly whisky you’ll ever taste. We’re also fierce supporters of and take inspiration from Australia’s eclectic food and drinks industry, so to partner with a leading organisation such as MICHELIN, who are equally as enthusiastic, and catalysts of culinary innovation, made a great deal of sense to us. We look forward to the adventures this collaboration will bring.”
 
Vitale, a self-confessed foodie, was inspired by his hometown of Melbourne, the food capital of Australia, to bring his love of whisky and food to dinner tables across the world.

Starward has become the fastest growing Australian whisky brand as it continues to grow following its launch into the US and its expanding European footprint.

Starward arrived in the United States in 2019 and remains the most widely available Australian whisky there.

“Starward began with a simple vision: to make a distinctly Australian whisky we could offer the world with pride,” said Vitale at the time. “I have long dreamed of being able to share our whisky in the US. It is a genuinely exciting time for the team as we take the next step on our Starward-bound journey.”

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