Lark launches IPA whisky, but ‘core range is king’

Lark Distillery is refocusing efforts on core range whiskies during 2023, while a new collaboration with NZ’s Garage Project Brewing leads a more “constrained and targeted” limited release program.

Lark recently reported a 14 per cent decline in net sales for the half-year ended December 31, 2023, which the company said was due to the cycling of factors including “non-organic and opportunistic transactions in Q2 FY22”.

Underlying net sales were actually up 18 per cent after normalising for these transactions, the company said.

Core products Classic Cask and Symphony grew 29 per cent and 38 per cent respectively, supported by brand building activities and increased points of distribution.

More than 40 limited releases in FY22

CEO Laura McBain said the company’s FY23 performance was against an unrelenting limited release schedule in FY22 – its 30th anniversary year – comprising “more than 40” different whiskies.

“Clearly the demand for limited releases starts to taper off… if you’re doing one every two weeks,” she told investors in its results webinar.

“We have repositioned our portfolio so that it is focused on that core range and we’ll look at launching limited releases as tactical to help the brand grow.

“[The core range] gives us more focus to expand our distribution particularly with the major retailers, who are less interested in having job lots, which is essentially what a limited release is.”

Three new core range whiskies

Chairman David Dearie added that the company was “maybe too focused on NPD in the past”.

“Now we’re trying to find that balance between getting the core range established and continuing to excite the consumer with NPD as we go forward,” he said.

McBain revealed that Lark has three new core range SKUs coming out in April/May this year.

Lark Fresh IPA Cask

Meanwhile, Lark has announced the first whisky in its comparatively modest limited release program for 2023.

Fresh IPA Cask is a single malt created in collaboration with popular NZ brewers Garage Project, which has been finished in casks seasoned with Garage Project Fresh IPA.

“With an archive of Garage Project’s monthly one-off Fresh IPAs, the Lark blending team tested over 100 different iterations, before landing on the four best brews to season the casks” the company said.

“Tropical sunshine leaps from the glass, with notes of frangipani, lime ice cream and buttery toast.

“The elevated 46 per cent ABV is deliciously integrated on the palate, with layers of ginger and citrus rounded out by juicy melon and banana bread.”

Award-winning local Tasmanian artist Joel Crosswell was commissioned to create a unique work of art to adorn the labels; resulting in four collectible bottles that can be purchased in a Collectors Pack ($950) also containing a 4-pack of Garage Project Fresh Blend IPA, brewed exclusively for this release.

The Hero Boilermaker pack ($270) comprises a bottle of ‘Fresh IPA Cask’ Tasmanian Single Malt and a 4-pack of Garage Project Fresh Blend.

“I’m a huge fan of Garage Project’s beer and there are a lot of similarities between the two companies,” said Lark head distiller Chris Thomson.

“Garage Project’s commitment to sustainability is something we champion here at LARK, and their passion for creativity in all their releases is always pushing the boundaries with the drinker in mind.”

Added Garage Project co-founder Pete Gillespie: “We’ve been aware of LARK for ages, they are such an iconic brand who always seem to be pushing the creative envelope.”

“There is a philosophical alignment between both brands; we’re both merchants in fermented grain at the end of the day but what we end up with is quite different.

“There is a lot of collaboration within the brewing industry but not so much outside of it. It’s great to have that fresh energy injected by Lark and that really shines through the whisky that Chris has made.”

Fresh IPA Cask is limited to 1200 bottles, available exclusively at larkdistillery.com and The Still, Lark’s whisky bar in Hobart.