Lark The Wolf Release 2020 (Release III) Tasmanian Single Malt Whisky 49% 500ml

Lark The Wolf Release 2020 is the third edition of one of the most creative and celebrated annual collaborations in Australian craft drinks — a unique barrel exchange program between Lark Distillery in Tasmania and Victoria's Wolf of the Willows Brewing Co. that has produced some of the most distinctive and talked-about limited release whiskies in the country since the series began.

The concept is as ingenious as it is delicious. Each year, empty Lark whisky casks are hand-selected and shipped across the Bass Strait to Wolf of the Willows in Victoria, where they are filled with the brewery's Imperial Johnny Smoke Porter — a bold, roasted, and hop-forward beer that deeply seasons the wood before the casks are decanted and returned to Lark for single malt finishing. For the 2020 third edition, Head Distiller Chris Thomson deliberately sought contrast over compromise — selecting single malt from Lark's Bothwell Distillery, home of the former Nant expression, specifically for its punchy tropical and citrus-forward character. The goal was to create a deliberate tension between the tropical, fruit-driven whisky and the big roasted malt, smoke, and hop character left behind by the beer, resulting in what Thomson himself described as one of the funkiest palates Lark has ever produced. Limited to 1,830 bottles and bottled at 49% ABV, The Wolf Release 2020 is a genuinely unique collector's expression that sits at the exciting intersection of craft beer and Tasmanian whisky.

Tasting Notes
Rich amber in the glass. The nose is exuberant and immediately distinctive — lush tropical fruit, mango, lychee, and coconut lead, before giving way to dark toffee, espresso, cocoa, red fruit, and chocolate-covered banana. The palate is bold, textured, and full of character — rich dark chocolate malt, red liquorice, stewed banana, roasted coffee beans, intense oak, and toasted malt, with the Imperial Porter's smoky, hoppy fingerprint woven throughout. The finish is long and rewarding — orchard fruits of apple and pear, dark figs, bitter chocolate, and a whisper of creamy smoke that lingers magnificently.

Serves Best With
Best enjoyed neat or with a small splash of still water to allow the contrast between the tropical whisky character and the roasted porter influence to fully express itself. Also outstanding over a single large ice cube. A natural companion to dark chocolate, espresso-based desserts, smoked meats, or aged hard cheese. A must-have for collectors and craft beer enthusiasts alike.