Starward Whisky has returned to full founder ownership after David Vitale acquired all remaining shares in the Melbourne-based distillery, ending Diageo and other minority shareholder involvement in the business, Drinks International reported Tuesday. Vitale, who founded Starward in 2007, had stepped back from leading the company before Diageo-backed Distill Ventures began supporting the brand in 2015. “It’s been more than ten years since I last led Starward,” Vitale said, according to Drinks International. The change in ownership places Starward among a growing group of founder-controlled whisky brands operating outside global spirits conglomerates. Drinks International first reported the ownership change.