A Return to What Starlight Does Best

Starlight is simply one of the best names in craft whiskey. Coming off the excitement of several limited 10 year releases last year, along with the widely popular Mizunara release that took Best Overall Bourbon at the 2025 San Francisco World Spirits Competition, it felt like the perfect time to return to what made us fall in love with them in the first place. When a formula works this well, why change the playbook? Today, we are back with a 5 year Single Barrel that reminds us exactly why Starlight has become such a mainstay at Seelbach’s.

This single barrel is a sister to the last Straight Bourbon we offered, but as anyone familiar with Starlight knows, barrels can make a world of difference. This is a three grain bourbon made from 60% corn, 20% rye, and 20% malted barley, aged with a #2 char, toasted heads, and staves air dried for two years. With its approachable proof and price point, this is a great place to start if you are new to what Starlight is doing, or an easy add for longtime fans of the distillery.

Sweet brown sugar, orange bitters, candied cinnamon, and mixed stewed berries lead on the nose. As this one sits open, the fruit really comes alive.

The palate opens with sweet oak, pound cake, and cherry turnover, alongside plenty of toasted wood spices. It then moves into a plush, creamy sweetness, vanilla kissed but leaning more toward a chocolate milk profile.

The pour continues lush and creamy into the finish, with candied orange, cherry, and raspberry staying juicy and jammy, while charred oak lays heavy along the sides of the mouth.