Starward is on the hunt for Australia’s best New Old Fashioned — a cocktail that captures the flavour, creativity, and modern Australian spirit at the heart of our whisky. The winning drink won’t just earn bragging rights: it will be bottled, labelled, and released nationwide, giving one bartender the rare chance to see their creation become part of Starward’s story. The winner also receives a two‑day hosted trip to our Melbourne distillery.
What We’re Looking For
Bartenders are invited to create their own take on a Starward New Old Fashioned, a cocktail that balances flavour, originality, and a clear creative idea. We’re looking for drinks that feel modern, expressive, and unmistakably Starward.
How It Works
Entrants will:
- Create their New Old Fashioned using Starward whisky
- Serve it in‑venue for a minimum four‑week period
- Submit their recipe, written inspiration and supporting materials via our website
A free Starward masterclass is also available for bartenders wanting to sharpen their approach to flavour, shelf‑stability, and modern whisky cocktails before entering.
Judging Criteria
Entries are judged in two rounds.
Stage 1 — State Judging (80 points total)
Criteria include:
- Taste balance & flavour (20)
- Aroma & ingredient integration (10)
- Photo presentation (10)
- Inspiration story (10)
- Concept & originality (10)
- Listing compliance (10)
- Venue visibility (5)
- Advocacy activity (5)
Stage 2 — Final Judging (20 points total)
Top 10 state scorers become Finalists, submitting their cocktail to the distillery judging team to award the winner based on:
Criteria:
- Shelf stability & production suitability (10)
- Commercial viability (5)
- Flavour integrity of pre‑batched sample (5)
Winner Selection
- Scores from both rounds combine to a 100‑point total
- Highest score wins
- Judging is skill‑based, not chance
Prizes
Major Prize — Bartender
Includes:
- A limited‑release Starward bottled cocktail featuring their recipe
- A trip to Melbourne (flights, transfers, 2 nights’ accommodation)
- Distillery tour + blending class
- Starward‑hosted dinner
- Professional photography
- Additional activities/experiences
- 50% share of Net Profits (capped at $10,000) from first 6 months of product sales
Venue Prize
- Three cases of the limited‑release cocktail
- Either:
- A second employee joins the trip
- OR a Starward‑hosted team dinner valued at $2,500
“Bartenders have always been the heartbeat of Starward. This competition is our way of handing over the keys and saying: show us what modern Australian whisky can be. We can’t wait to bottle a cocktail that started behind someone’s bar and share it with the whole country.”
— David Vitale, Founder, Starward Whisky
The nitty gritty;
Who
Professional bartenders across Australia are invited to take part. Entrants must be 18 or over, hold a valid RSA and be currently employed at a licensed venue.
What
New Rules for the Old Fashioned 2026 is Starward’s national cocktail competition challenging bartenders to reinvent the Old Fashioned through the lens of modern Australian whisky. Competitors create a prebatched, shelf stable cocktail using Starward Two Fold, list it on their venue’s menu and bring it to life through story, craft and in venue advocacy. The winning recipe becomes a limited release Starward bottled cocktail.
When
The competition runs from 1 March to 31 July 2026, with finalists and the ultimate winner announced following two rounds of judging.
Where
Entries are open to bartenders and venues nationwide, with 10 state finalists submitting their cocktail to our distillery judging panel for final evaluation. The major prize includes an immersive trip to Melbourne.
Bartenders enter by creating their cocktail, posting it on Instagram with the required tags and submitting their recipe, cost breakdown, inspiration story, and images through the online entry portal. Judging takes place across two stages: an initial assessment of flavour, creativity, and advocacy, followed by a technical evaluation of shelf stability and commercial viability.
Starward is championing a new era of Australian whisky and inviting bartenders to help shape it. This competition celebrates creativity, flavour, and the growing craft of prebatching. It offers one bartender the rare opportunity to see their recipe produced at scale, sold nationally, and supported with a share of the profits. It is a platform for emerging talent and a showcase of how modern Australian whisky culture continues to evolve.
For more information and entry terms and conditions visit https://starward.com.au/nof.