Straight Distilllery

Whiskey is, by default, history. But with the steady increase of new whiskey and spirits brands entering the market, that seems to be an important piece that is too often missing. The sourcing of spirits allows many brands to spring up, seemingly overnight. Whiskeys distilled in one state, aged in another, bottled here, cut with water from there have crowded the marketplace. Now, great whiskey can be produced this way. However, we rarely see a brand that can do it all and still bring something truly unique to the table, outside of the large “legacy” brands we have in Kentucky.

With the “whiskey boom” still moving full speed ahead with no signs of slowing, craft spirits are in more demand than ever before. Of course, there was a drop-off in 2020 due to Covid. But distilleries involved in the Kentucky Bourbon Trail and Kentucky Bourbon Trail Craft Tour bounced back in 2021. The Craft Trail even set a new record for visitors. And the numbers in 2022 are expected to keep going up. However, when visiting Louisville, you may be surprised to hear that one of the craft distilleries making waves is 30 minutes north of the city. In fact, it’s across the Ohio River in a small town called Borden, Indiana. 

History

Starlight Distillery was established in 2001. But the Huber family has been producing wine and brandies for generations. Originally from Germany, Simon Huber settled on an 80-acre farm in Southern Indiana. He began by growing primarily fruit before branching out into other areas, starting with wine.

The Huber family’s timeline can be seen by visiting their website.

From humble beginnings, the farm is now over 600 acres and has become Indiana’s largest wine-grape producer. During a normal year, the vines on the property will produce 18 different types of grapes amounting to nearly 400,000 pounds in total. Since the late 1970s, the Huber’s farm has produced not only wine grapes, but also Christmas trees and pumpkins. They have also opened a cheese shop, ice cream factory, and banquet facilities. The success continued when they applied and received approval to open Starlight Distillery in 2001. The first products were released in 2004.

That first release in 2004 was a brandy. Meanwhile, though, they were also busy partnering with local wineries to form the Indiana Uplands Wine Trail. It now includes nine Southern Indiana wineries. Now you can kill two birds with one stone by visiting Huber’s Winery and Starlight Distillery. Plus, you can make a similar stop in French Lick, Indiana. Both the French Lick Winery and Spirits of French Lick are a part of the same location. (Their Lee Sinclair four-grain bottled in bond bourbon was Fred Minnick’s Top Non-Kentucky Bourbon in 2020.)

Huber Winery Story

Huber’s Starlight Distillery

The orchard, winery, and distillery offer different year-round tours and experiences for groups of one to twenty people. Visitors have several options, from a private cellar tasting (45 minutes), to an all-inclusive production tour (1 hour 30 minutes). There are winery and distillery promotions with tasting flights, too. The farm and grounds also include a Starlight Café, farmers market, and tasting room, as well as an underground barrel warehouse.

Along with tours and experiences, Starlight offers quite a variety of spirits and bottle finishes for a distillery of its size. They produce both silver and spiced rum, a peach, apple, and applejack brandy, as well as both vodka and gin. Several products they offer can be seen here. Their whiskey offerings are extensive with a few of them listed below:

Whiskey/Bourbon

- Carl T. Huber’s Bourbon Whiskey: Starlight’s signature 3-grain and 4-grain blend

- Carl T. Huber’s Bottled-in-Bond

- Carl T. Huber’s Double Oaked: Finished in a second oak barrel

- Old Rickhouse Rye Whiskey

- Blackberry Whiskey: Whiskey distilled in a copper pot still and combined with blackberries

But what really sets Starlight apart from other craft distilleries (and larger distilleries, to be honest) are their unique barrel-finished products. Finishes such as their Port Barrel, Sherry Barrel, Cognac and Honey Finished barrels have gotten a lot of positive feedback. And a few other releases have gotten an especially warm reception online.

Notable Releases

Carl T. Huber’s Small Batch – Bourbon Whiskey Finished in VDN Barrels

After aging for 4-plus years, this bourbon whiskey is then aged in Spanish Viño de Naranja barrels for an additional 3-8 months. The French oak barrels previously holding the orange wine bring in distinct citrus and fruit notes. These really compliment the high-proof rye spice.

Carl T. Huber’s Cigar Batch – Rye Whiskey Finished in Brazilian Amburana Barrels

Amburana is a species of oak found in the northeast and southeast regions of Brazil that reaches an average height of 32-65 feet. The barrels are primarily used to age Cachaça, which is the most popular distilled alcoholic beverage in Brazil.

Huber’s Single Barrel – Rye Whiskey Finished in Pineau Des Charentes Barrels

After aging in new charred American oak barrels for 4-plus years, the juice is transferred to PX Sherry barrels for an additional 3-8 months of aging. The finish provides candied fruit and cherry notes to complement the sweet rye spice.

So, the next time you head to bourbon country, think about carving out an afternoon to head to Southern Indiana. You won’t just experience the one-of-a-kind experience that Starlight has put together. You’ll also have a chance to get your hands on some truly unique bottles of whiskey. Sure, the annual releases from the big boys are fun to get your hands on. But adding barrel-finished bottles like Starlight’s maple syrup, apple brandy, and sauternes barrels to your collection can really take your home bar to the next level. These limited releases are also great entry points for your non-whiskey drinking friends since they offer sweeter and fruitier variations on your typical whiskey.

Can’t make it out to Southern Indiana? No worries. Starlight’s products can be purchased and shipped online through Seelbach’s website and Total Wine & More.