In recent years, we’ve had whisky distilleries reaching major milestones. Laphroaig celebrated 200 years in 2015, followed by Lagavulin’s bicentennial in 2016, and this year, Australia’s own Lark Distillery has reached the 25th anniversary milestone.
To the uninitiated, a quarter of a century may not seem as grand as a bicentennial celebration but it is far reaching and vital to the history of Australian craft distilling. In 1992, Bill Lark started a whisky revolution. By convincing the government to change archaic laws to allow craft distilling in Australia, he paved the way to an ever-growing number of Australian craft distilleries that now make up the fabric of Australia’s spirit and bar culture.
And what better way to celebrate the 25th anniversary milestone, than to look towards the future. Head Distiller Chris Thomson has created The Revolution Release, an experimental series of twenty five casks that have identified and helped build a new generation of Lark Single Malt Whisky.
All the spirits were matured in 20L casks either ex Port from Seppeltsfield or ex Bourbon from Maker’s Mark. They are bottled at cask strength, with an ABV ranging from 59.1% to 69.3%. The whiskies are numbered sequentially and each has a reference to the song played while is was distilled. Coincidentally, Gourmantic had tasted some of these from the cask two years ago during the visit to Lark Distillery in Hobart.
At the masterclass held at Mjolner in Sydney, Chris Thomson presented five of his favourite expressions including three of the highest scoring by the Lark panel. Each single malt told a story, be it a personal one or a whisky flavour journey.
Below is the summary of each of the five whiskies along with the official tasting notes.
RR001
ABV: 63.20%
Cask Type: 20L Bourbon, Makers Mark
Ferment: 7 Days, 3 Wild
Age: 3 years, 3 months
Peat: Light
Song Played While Distilling: Foo Fighters: Everlong
Tasting Notes: Nose: Vanilla, caramel fudge and golden syrup entice to aromas of peach, apricots, pineapple and roses. Citrus bursts of grapefruit, orange, mandarin and lemon sit atop a base level of figs, apple crumble and cherries. Palate: Vanilla and grapefruit carry through to the palate tying together flavours of cinnamon, toffee, peppermint, smoke and bubblegum. Honey and wax finish the journey. Finish: Citrus on butterscotch leads to more citrus on butterscotch, with more citrus on butterscotch, all the way to infinity.
RR002
ABV: 64.70%
Cask Type: 20L Bourbon, Makers Mark
Ferment: 7 Days, 3 Wild
Age: 3 years, 11 months
Peat: Light
Song Played While Distilling: Von Bondies: C’mon C’mon
Tasting Notes: Nose: A bowl of poached pears and plum pudding covered in nutmeg-spiked vanilla custard sit next to a plate of Millionaire’s Shortbread covered in fudge sauce. A dessert trolley to die for. Palate: Fruit salad: cherries, apples, raspberries, orange slices and apricots. Cookies dough, ANZAC biscuits and sherry to soak the fruit, bringing nutty flavours and oak to mind. Finish: Gluttonous and balance. The entire dessert menu.
RR007
ABV: 65.00%
Cask Type: 20L Port, Seppeltsfield
Ferment: 7 Days, 2 Wild
Age: 3 years
Peat: Light
Song Played While Distilling: Weezer: El Scorcho
Tasting Notes: Nose: Citrus on butterscotch. Plum pudding, peat smoke and ash hide behind a body of oranges, ANZAC biscuits, cherries, maple syrup and butter. Palate: Port, peat smoke, orange oil and caramel are engulfed by dark chocolate and cinnamon spice. Finish: Port, oak and peat. Robust.
RR015
ABV: 69.3%
Cask Type: 20L Bourbon, Makers Mark
Ferment: 14 Days, 3 Wild
Age: 4 years
Peat: Medium
Song Played While Distilling: Toto: Africa
Tasting Notes: Nose: An intensity of orange, grapefruit, lemon rind and lime give a canvas for apple, strawberries, mint leaves and caramel to bounce from. Ash and peat add finishing touches. Palate: An extension of the nose with orange and grapefruit carrying vanilla, toffee and chocolate through the motions. The smoke dissipates, leaving burnt toffee and candy floss. Finish: A balancing act of vanilla, citrus and tea-like tannins.
RR014
ABV: 66.20%
Cask Type: 20L Port, Seppeltsfield
Ferment: 14 Days, 3 Wild
Age: 3 Years, 10 Month
Peat: Medium
Song Played While Distilling: The Presidents of the USA: Peaches
Tasting Notes: Nose: A warming fireside dram. Coal dust, firewood, port and sherry are married perfectly with notes of orange oil, cocoa, vanilla and toast. Palate: Sweet smoke develops from the embers working through flavours of orange, butter, roast almonds, and apricot, before settling on a massive peaty ending. Finish: A long, satisfying smoky finish.
The Revolution Release consists of 25 bottles a day, released over 25 days between May 1st and May 25th and priced at $280 for a 500ml bottle.