Description
Pinhook’s Collaboration Series Edition No. 3 is a limited, one-time release that steps beyond bourbon. Co-founder Sean Josephs teamed up with fellow sommelier Jordan Salcito to blend four distinct styles of Starward Australian Single Malt, all exclusively aged in red wine barrels and bottled at a cask-strength 114.8 proof. Expect poached pear, vanilla, and cardamom on the nose, followed by raspberries, wild honey, clove, and graham cracker on the palate, a richly layered pour that will reward wine lovers and whisky explorers alike.
Pinhook Collaboration Series Edition No. 3 is an Australian single malt distilled from 100% malted barley at Starward Distillery in Melbourne. Pinhook co-founder Sean Josephs and sommelier Jordan Salcito, who bonded over their shared love of wine, blended four distinct styles of Starward single malt, each aged exclusively in red wine barrels. The 28-barrel blend is aged four-plus years and bottled at cask strength, 114.8 proof (57.4% ABV).
Warm aromas of poached pear and ripe peach mingle with vanilla curd and berry jam. Cardamom, white peppercorn, light cedar, and a touch of leather add depth.
The palate brings raspberries and dark berries layered over wild honey and graham cracker. Clove and peppercorn spice build alongside tannic, dry oak and leather, with an underlying malt note holding it all together.
The finish is dry and spicy, with lingering peppercorn, oak, and leather.
This is a limited, one-time release and the third entry in Pinhook’s Collaboration Series, which pairs the brand with notable voices from the wine world. Rather than a brief finish, the whisky spent its full maturation in red wine barrels, giving it a pronounced fruit-and-tannin character shaped by two sommeliers’ palates. It offers a rare chance to taste Australian single malt at full cask strength.
Sip it neat first to appreciate the interplay of red fruit, honey, and spice. A few drops of water will soften the cask-strength heat and open up the pear and cedar notes. It pairs well with dark chocolate, aged cheeses, or charcuterie, a natural match for wine lovers exploring whisky.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Pinhook Collaboration Series Edition No. 3?
It’s a limited, one-time release from Pinhook, blended by co-founder Sean Josephs and sommelier Jordan Salcito. Despite sometimes being listed as bourbon, it’s actually an Australian single malt whisky distilled at Starward Distillery in Melbourne and aged in red wine barrels.
What are the key specs of this red wine barrel cask strength whisky?
It’s bottled at cask strength, 114.8 proof (57.4% ABV), and made from 100% malted barley. It carries no age statement, though the company states it is aged 4+ years, and it was blended from 28 barrels.
What does Pinhook Collaboration Series No. 3 taste like?
Expect a warm nose of poached pear, vanilla, cardamom, and light cedar, followed by a rich palate of raspberries, wild honey, clove, and graham cracker. The finish leans toward peppercorn spice, dry oak, and leather.
How should I enjoy this cask strength single malt?
Try it neat first to appreciate the red wine barrel character, then add a few drops of water or a single ice cube to soften the high proof and open up the fruit and spice notes.
What makes this Pinhook release special?
Rather than a brief finish, the whisky was blended from four styles of Starward single malt that were exclusively aged in red wine barrels, a fitting choice for a collaboration between two former sommeliers. As a limited one-time edition and the only red wine barrel entry in the Collaboration Series, it’s a unique bottle for collectors and wine lovers alike.
