Featured at World Whisky Day 2023: The island of Tasmania has a history of whisky making yet there was a 150 year gap because of old 19th century laws that went unchallenged until Bill Lark founded Lark Distillery in 1992. Since then, Lark has been producing whisky and liqueurs. The distillery was the first in Australia to become carbon neutral in 2021 and while originally started in the Tasmanian capital, Hobart, production has recently moved to a new distillery in nearby Pontville. Before their portfolio expanded, the American market would only receive limited single barrel expressions, such as this Lark Single Malt bottled at 86 proof. Other expressions are different individual barrels at slightly differing proofages but remain the same base spirit. This particular barrel was aged in a small cask that formerly held Australian port.
Distillery: Lark
Region: Foreign
Age: NAS
Strength: 43%
Price: $118.20
Maturation: ex-Australian port cask
Barrel: Cask 657; bottled 2010
Location: Pontville, Tasmania
Nose: Medicinal, earth, anise, mushroom, raisin, celery salt, wintergreen, brown sugar, sulfite
Palate: Port, sugar, fig, molasses, anise, floral
Finish: Raisin, port
Comments: Water does not alter the taste much one way or the other but giving it some time in your glass does.
Adam – I love how earthy the nose of the Lark Single Malt is. Not like peat but rather the rich loamy essence of a forest floor. There’s a subtle sweetness reminiscent of raisins and a dash of mushrooms. I am a fan of all of these things and this profile speaks to me. I love how complex and changing it is each time you come to it. A little prickly at one glance, then full of wintergreen in the next. The palate is ripe with the sweetness of stone fruits and flowers, with a large helping hand of the port playing all the notes without completely overshadowing them. I’ll admit I’ve resisted taking the plunge untested on the rare Lark’s we see over in the US because of the high entry price but I can admit being won over now that I’ve finally had the chance. This is extremely drinkable, almost dangerously so, and offers as much to ponder as you want to put into the dwelling. Perfect for those who like fortified wine influences in their whiskies but probably not for the novice. That’s not to say they can’t enjoy it – trust me, far from it – but there are far more accessible whiskies at an easier price point to hone their skills, so that finally having something like this will feel much more rewarding.
Bill – This Lark Single Malt is an even keel, almost to make it unexciting. I really enjoy it. While it didn’t offer nuance in the palate, I liked the palate a lot. It is approachable. Very much so.
Offers as much to ponder as you want to put into the dwelling.
Henry – Baked apple, nutmeg, anise, and a hint of butyric acid on the nose. Florals, stewed fig, and overripe fruit flavors enter on the palate. Fig, raisin, and date on the finish. Fig tart. Figs and flowers.
Ben – On the nose, the Lark Single Malt is like fresh, wet, black licorice. I want to say for sure that what happened in the nose, the way that it changed from beginning to end was an incredible journey. I really liked that. I wonder if the same thing will happen as the bottle of this oxidizes. It’s almost overly sweet in the port. I would almost compare this to a Sazerac cocktail.
Mike – The nose completely threw me for a loop compared to the palate. The palate was one-note until the port punch at the end.
