Ever since the first whisky was produced in Scotland, each has had its own unique and distinct character. Perhaps it is this variety that makes the romance and mystique of the single malt so appealing to so many people.

The Lark Distillery uses traditional production methods and carefully selected Tasmanian ingredients. With an excellent location, ingredients and years of distilling expertise, single malt whisky from the Lark Distillery has developed its own unique qualities.  They have realised our dream of producing a rich and complex single malt to match any other 'uisge-beatha' (water of life).

Much smaller than the large distilleries in Scotland, this enables them to practice one of the fine tunings which has long been lost to Scotland's mass production distilling. The Lark Distillery does not mix whiskies between casks.  Each bottle's contents has come from 1 single cask, ensuring the individual and pure character of every drop. The whisky from the Lark Distillery involves absolutely no blending at all.

Malting

Our malt is made from Tasmania's world famous Franklin barley. This unique strain of barley produces a plump grain which is particularly rich in starch. This is then converted to malt using the much sought after peat from the peat bogs of Tasmania's central highlands.

Brewing

The malt is ground into coarse flour and mixed with hot water in mash tuns. The sugars are dissolved and a pale, non-alcoholic liquid known as wort is produced. After mashing the liquid is cooled, yeast is added and fermentation begins. At this stage little has varied from the brewing of beer and the malt liquor, known as the 'wash' has the strength of strong beer.

Distilling

The wash is then distilled, which is the slow boiling of the liquid which separates the alcohol and other volatile compounds from the water. This is done in a still, with the steam rising, condensing and being collected in another still, which repeats the process to ensure a fine liquid is the end result.

Every stage of this process, from the shape of the still to the distillers timing, influence the flavour and style of the whisky. The art and skill of the distiller lies in deciding when the distillate has reached the desired strength and quality. The Lark Distillery uses a uniquely designed pot still to ensure a wonderfully rich malt whisky with a variety of subtle, complex flavours. The process from mashing to the end of the distilling takes about 2 weeks.

Maturing

The whisky is then put into casks and left to 'mature'. It is estimated that around 60% of the whisky's flavour is developed in the maturing.  The type of wood the cask is made of, and its previous uses as a cask, are important as well as the location of the cask. The colour of a whisky is entirely determined by the cask.

The Lark Distillery chooses to use 50 and 100 litre barrels which are left on site and undisturbed through the years of maturing. This enables Hobart's sea-breezes and mountain air to combine to play their part in the evolving flavour of the malt whisky.

For more information, please contact us.