Port Melbourne distillery Starward wins big at 2024 San Francisco World Spirits Competition

A Melbourne made whisky has again been crowned the world’s best in a prestigious global competition — and we can blame the city’s “four seasons in one day” for the honour.

Starward founder David Vitale and Jane Dillon are raising a glass after being named the 'Most Awarded Distillery of the Year’ at San Fransisco International Spirits Awards 2024. Picture: Jason Edwards

A Melbourne made whisky has been crowned the world’s best — again — in a prestigious global competition.

And it’s founder says our city’s “four seasons in one day” has influenced the whisky’s recipe for success.

Port Melbourne’s Starward has been named the ‘Most Awarded Distillery of the Year’ for the second time in two years at the 2024 San Francisco World Spirits Competition.

“It’s a bit surreal, this whole experience,” founder David Vitale told the Herald Sun.

“To pick up Distillery of the Year once was great, but to do it a second time is quite profound.”

Vitale, who launched the brand 17-years ago, said Melbourne’s unique climate made his whisky work “harder” than some of the biggest whisky brands in the world.

“In Scotland, they have two seasons a year — June and winter — and have these quaint signs around the distillery to be quiet as the barrels are resting,” he said.

“Where in Melbourne, we have four seasons, sometimes in one day, and that forces the whisky barrels to expand and contract, (and the whisky) engages with the oak more frequently.”

“Everyone else may be frustrated by the weather in summer, but I always say this is perfect for the whisky.”

The distillery also shared the stage with the world’s top liquor brands, such as Jack Daniels, Tanqueray and Glen Scotia, to win eight of 84 platinum, 13 double gold and 13 gold medals at the awards.

About 92 Victorian and 242 Australian whiskeys were tasted among 5500 entries worldwide.

“What started as an irrational belief that we could put Australian whisky on the world’s map 17-years-ago, overtime has become more rational and this recognition is a great reminder to keep thinking big and reaching for the stars,” Vitale said.