LARK Distillery
About the distillery (in brief)
LARK Distillery is a Tasmanian single malt house with roots in 1992 and a clear home in Pontville, north of Hobart. Here, restored 19th-century buildings, a working cooperage, and bond stores come together in a fully operational whisky village, while Hobart houses both the cellar door and experiences. The style is luxurious, experimental, and very Tasmanian, with fortified casks, forged depth, and a signature sweetness at the center.
History
LARK was established in 1992 by Bill and Lyn Lark, who challenged the status quo and helped shape the modern Tasmanian whisky movement. The story begins with a fishing trip that set something in motion, and has since grown into a distillery that today is described as Australia’s oldest single malt distillery. Today, the team is led by Master Distiller Chris Thomson. Pontville has become the house’s physical center: a historic estate with restored 19th-century buildings, bond stores, a cooperage, and a distillery—where history, craftsmanship, and the guest experience are tightly woven together. At the same time, heritage and the present day live side by side in Hobart, where the cellar door tells the story of the beginning of the modern Tasmanian whisky movement.
Ingredients and production
The production is connected to Tasmania as a source of raw materials and identity, and the house places emphasis on a handcrafted approach. Classic Cask is described as brewed by hand and double-distilled, with the goal of a heavy and viscous palate structure, matured in a carefully selected collection of small casks. In addition, fermented and distilled whisky is highlighted through tours, where the visit takes guests from grain and fermentation to cask ageing and coopering. LARK also works with applewood-smoked water, which is part of the house’s signature style, and with a clearly experimental line where both fortified casks and special seasoning methods are used in developing flavor and texture.
Maturation and cask types
LARK uses a range of clearly documented cask types. Classic Cask is matured in small casks, Cask Strength has a distinct port cask influence, and Devil's Storm No.183 is built on first-fill vintage Port and Sherry casks from Seppeltsfield and finished in American Oak. Dark Lark No.166 works with fortified casks, which deliver dark fruit, sticky figs, and spiced syrup. In the Classic Collection, you’ll also find casks hand seasoned with vibrant chinotto citrus. The casks are used not only for storage, but as an active part of the house’s style and the tension between depth, freshness, and spiced sweetness.
Whiskies
The core of the range centers on the Classic Collection and a number of distinctive special releases. Classic Cask is the house’s more foundational single malt, while Cask Strength leans toward port, dried fruit, and butterscotch. Tasmanian Peated brings a more smoky side, with Central Highlands peat bog as a reference, and Chinotto Citrus Cask pushes in a lighter, bittersweet direction. Outside the core range, Dark Lark No.166 and Devil's Storm No.183 stand out as more pronounced expressions, where fortified casks, smoke, and a more intense, layered profile are allowed to dominate. Overall, the portfolio shows a house that works broadly within single malt, but always with a clear anchoring in Tasmania.
| Whisky | Type / series | Alcohol | Cask and style | Flavor profile | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Classic Cask | Single Malt; Classic Collection | Small casks | Double-distilled and matured in a carefully selected set of small casks. Described as a whisky for both collectors and the curious.; Taste: Brewed by hand and distilled with the intention of achieving a heavy and viscous palate structure. | Current; Core range | |
| Cask Strength | Single Malt; Classic Collection | smoky/peaty | Single malt with strong port cask influence.; Taste: Bold flavours of dried fruit and butterscotch with sweet notes of Tasmanian highland peat. | Current; Core range | |
| Tasmanian Peated | Single Malt; Classic Collection | 46 % | smoky/peaty | A special single malt that begins with the Central Highlands peat bog and the wild landscape.; Taste: A delicately smoky dram with woodsmoke and a sense of Tasmania’s raw landscape. | Current; Core range |
| Chinotto Citrus Cask | Single Malt; Classic Collection | Hand-seasoned casks; finish: Finished in casks hand seasoned with vibrant chinotto citrus | A light single malt where cocktails are encouraged and conventions are challenged.; Taste: Candied citrus with malt sweetness and a bittersweet edge. | Current; Core range | |
| Dark Lark No.166 | Single Malt; Dark Lark Special Edition | 43 % | Fortified casks | Annual special edition with dark fruit, sticky figs, and spiced syrup from fortified casks.; Nose: Lemon shortbread, wild strawberry, blackcurrant jam, and orchid blossom.; Taste: Berry custard, espresso gelato, dark chocolate-covered cherries, sticky figs, toasted marzipan, and soft honey.; Finish: Rises into a warm, silky finish. | Current |
| Devil's Storm No.183 | Single Malt | 42 % | First-fill vintage Port casks, First-fill vintage Sherry casks, and American Oak; finish: Finished in American Oak; smoky/peaty | A Single Malt with delicate Tasmanian peat smoke, shaped by rare vintage Port and Sherry casks from Seppeltsfield.; Nose: Scorched red fruit aromas.; Taste: Smooth almond fudge and rich chocolate; Finish: Warming finish that lingers. | Current |
The whiskies’ style and flavor profile
The overall style ranges from dark fruit, sticky figs, and dried fruit to butterscotch, soft honey, and candied citrus. There is also a distinct smoky line with delicate Tasmanian peat smoke, woodsmoke, and applewood-smoked water. On the spice side, spiced syrup and a bittersweet edge appear, while the floral side in Dark Lark’s profile gets a lift from orchid blossom. The whole is rich, silky-soft, and cask-driven, but with room for both light citrus and dark, almost nocturnal depth.
Visiting the distillery
Yes, the public can visit LARK. Pontville Distillery is open daily from 10:00 to 16:00, and distillery tours run every day at 12:00 and 14:00 for 45 minutes. The visit includes the operational whisky village with bond stores, a working cooperage, and the cellar door, and guided tastings are offered with cask samples and seasonal releases. In Hobart, guests can also book the Welcome to LARK tasting at the LARK Cellar Door at 13:00 daily, a guided 45-minute tasting with three single malts and a museum release. Booking is recommended, and Pontville has no food service on site.
The stated opening hours are LARK Pontville Distillery is open daily 10:00–16:00. Distillery tours run daily at 12:00 and 14:00 and last 45 minutes. Welcome to LARK tastings are offered daily at 13:00.
See times and book a visit.
Philosophy and craftsmanship
LARK’s philosophy is to explore whisky rather than simply make it. The house talks about a relentless pursuit of flavour and about challenging the boundaries of what single malt can be. At the same time, the place is proud to be Tasmanian and connects innovation with heritage, craftsmanship, and a very clear sense of place. It’s an approach where flavor, experiments, and local identity are valued just as highly as tradition.