In partnership with LARK Distillery
“What a lark! What a plunge! [...] How fresh, how calm, stiller than this of course, the air was in the early morning; like the flap of a wave; the kiss of a wave; chill and sharp…”
Virginia Woolf, Mrs. Dalloway.
One of the best things about Australian winter is a trip to Tasmania for an adventure into all things art and whisky. Each June, as temperatures drop and daylight retreats, Tasmania undergoes a transformation. Red crucifixes and fires line the waterfront of Hobart as the city becomes the country’s cultural epicenter, celebrating art, music, food and of course, whisky. As Music Editor, a trip to Dark Mofo has been on my wishlist for several years and combining it with the opportunity to pull LARK from the cask? How could I possibly say no?
After packing my thermals, we touched down in Hobart where we were met with some familiar faces, purists Thomas Cocquerel, Lincoln Younes and Petra Mackova who made up some of our group for the next few days. Having checked in for a quick freshen up, our first introduction to 2026’s Dark Lark and Tasmanian philosophy arrives over lunch at Leoht. The restaurant sits quietly on the waterfront, its menu built around local produce and the rhythms of the season. Wallaby tartare arrives at the table alongside our first pour of Dark Lark, LARK's annual limited release created in partnership with the spirit of Dark Mofo itself.
Now in its sixth year, Dark Lark was born from the festival and has become something of a seasonal ritual in its own right. LARK’s Niall Maurici describes this whisky as ‘one that you can leave on a table at a party and it will disappear’ due to its light and inviting nature with notes of figs, lemon shortbread and chocolate covered cherries. A significant amount disappeared over lunch.
After walking off our lunch along Hobart’s waterfront admiring Georgian sandstone and the hills behind, it was time to visit LARK’s Cellar Door, the original home of the distillery. LARK Distillery was envisioned by Bill Lark, after a fly-fishing trip in the Central Highlands of Tasmania with his father-in-law, he wondered why nobody was making single malt whisky in Tasmania. The answer, as it turned out, had little to do with geography or agriculture, and a little more to do with bureaucracy.
Dated legislation effectively prevented small-scale whisky distillation throughout Australia. Whilst most people would have accepted the explanation and moved on, Bill and Lyn Lark did the opposite. Together, they successfully challenged the antiquated regulations and, in 1992, established what would become LARK Distillery. In doing so they ignited Tasmania's whisky renaissance and helped lay the foundations for the Australian whisky industry as we know it today, earning Bill Lark the title of ‘God Father of Australian Whisky.’
We were treated to a tasting of the LARK Signature Collection, where we were invited to smell with our mouths open and put our fingers in our whisky. Fire Trail No.151 emerges as perhaps the purest expression of the modern LARK house style, drawing richness from rare Port and Sherry casks while balancing dried fruits, citrus and subtle smoke. Devil's Storm No.183 moves into darker territory, delivering blackberry, dark chocolate, almond fudge and delicate Tasmanian peat smoke with Ruby Abyss being the deepest using 100 year old Australian Port Reserve.
Later that evening we arrive at Gotham, LARK's Dark Mofo pop-up experience inspired by New York’s dining culture through a Tasmanian lens. Drops of whisky on top of a natural oyster proved unexpectedly transformative as Maurici drops LARK’s Devil’s Storm into the shells. The oyster’s salinity amplifies the whisky's fruit notes while the whisky softens the oyster's briny edge.
The following day, after our (optional) 9:30am dram, we were treated to education around the making of Tasmanian whisky and Lark’s philosophy. Using Tasmanian barley and peat they mine themselves with two spades and a Hilux, some of the world's most unique whiskies are made with love and creativity. Former pharmacist Wendy Steinberg explains the science and magic within the copper stills before we are taken into Senior Whisky Maker Josh Wilson’s office, where he often tastes hundreds of whiskies before lunch.
Wilson explains that music is hugely important within the tasting room, and whilst he favours hip-hop, with master distiller Chris Thomson being more into punk, what they both share is a love of the experimental and progressive, irrespective of genre. The parallels between whisky and music become increasingly obvious: both reward risk, both depend upon intuition as much as technical expertise and both require a willingness to challenge established conventions.
We experience this philosophy in LARK’s Bond Store, a cathedral-esque space lined wall to wall with maturing whiskies. Here we are invited to pull from casks ourselves, including a whisky maturing in tequila casks.
After Maurici regales us with a history lesson and ghost stories from the former Coach House, we head to the Dark Mofo Winter Feast. The waterfront becomes a temporary city devoted to pleasure and hedonism. Guest chef Floriano Pellegrino brings flavours from southern Italy, including venison paired with Dark Lark, and a sculptural 3D printed dessert inspired by his wife’s lips.
We then explore Dark Park, an art installation onboard the Spirit of Tasmania, before continuing to MONA, where subterranean galleries house works by Anselm Kiefer, Picasso, and Marina Abramović. The rebellious spirit of curator David Walsh’s approach mirrors LARK’s own ethos of experimentation over tradition.
From the moment we arrived in Hobart, LARK seemed inseparable from the landscape that produced it. Not because its whisky is made using Tasmanian produce, but because it embodies something larger about the island itself: independence, community, and a willingness to forge its own path.
Stay
Almost everywhere is walking distance within Hobart, however the Crowne Plaza is perfectly positioned in the centre of town. The rooms are beautiful and breakfast on the 12th floor offers panoramic views of the city and excellent avocado toast.
Eat
Frogmore Creek Cellar Door and Restaurant
Lunch at Frogmore Creek is highly recommended by locals and offers a reminder of Tasmania's remarkable relationship with produce, set against sweeping vineyard vistas and rolling hills. A salmon ceviche framed by delicate edible florals carries just enough wasabi heat, while perfectly cooked lamb pairs effortlessly with a glass of Pinot Noir.
Aptly neo-noire in aesthetic, Gotham at The Still is the perfect place to enjoy a whisky cocktail with a complimentary morsel. For example, pairing fresh oysters with an Old Fashioned may not be your initial pairing but it will become your future favourite, it is your new subversive and suitably sexy hang out for long winter evenings.
Take
Multiple layers are essential, with a preference for knits and turtlenecks. Oversized tailoring works well for concealing thermals, and waterproof boots are essential given the step count at MONA. A reliable outer layer like a faux fur bomber adds warmth for long evenings outdoors.
Skincare layering is equally important in the cold: hydrating creams, face elixirs, and luminous foundation help maintain balance through long nights and early starts.
Have your own Dark Mofo experience by enjoying the new Dark Lark whisky from home.
