E-Malt.com News article: Australia: Diageo sells Starward whisky stake back to founder

Starward Whisky founder David Vitale has fully acquired the Australian distillery, returning the brand to founder-led control. The acquisition marks the conclusion of the involvement of Diageo, which had held a minority stake in the business since 2015 through its now-defunct Distill Ventures accelerator program, MSN reported on January 30.

"It's been more than ten years since I last led Starward," Vitale said in a news release.

"With the considerable volume of work done in that time by a deeply dedicated team, this feels like a rare opportunity to scale what we know works, in a category that's only just getting started," he continued.

Vitale added: "I feel incredibly lucky to be doing that with the best brand, the best people, and the best years still ahead of us."

Founded in Melbourne in 2007, Starward has become known globally for its signature maturation process, which primarily uses locally-sourced Australian red wine barrels to age its single malt whisky.

Diageo had held a 30% minority stake in the business since it was selected for the Distill Ventures accelerator in 2015. The program was founded in 2013 to help start-up brands grow with backing from the global drinks giant.

In March 2025, Diageo announced it was withdrawing its funding from Distill Ventures, effectively signaling the end of the program and leading its portfolio brands to seek new ownership structures.

Starward Whisky was one of several prominent world whisky brands in the Distill Ventures portfolio. Other notable whiskies in the program included American single malt producer Westward, Stauning from Denmark, Japan's Kanosuke Distillery, and English producer Fielden Whisky.

The acquisition by Vitale ensures the Australian brand’s continuity as it moves into its next phase of growth.


31 January, 2026