Pinhook Collaboration Series Edition No 3 Australian Single Malt Whisky

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.