Lark Slàinte Whisky Liqueur

The @larkdistillery Slainte is not my usual tasting, but it’s one of those drinks that just puts a smile on your face. This is a dessert whiskey liquor and is based on their single malt infused with botanicals. On the nose, it’s nothing like a whiskey, so much orange on the nose you’d almost confuse it with Cointreau. It reminds me of working behind the bar and mixing cocktails. Heavy orange and a little bit of whiskey undertone. Taste is super sweet, super smooth, super easy to drink. Orange, vanilla, sugar hits early with a aniseed liquorice finish.

Appearance: Pale straw with gold highlights. Not unlike sauternes in appearance. Aroma: Dilute honey, citrus zest, a little licorice or anise, a wisp of ginger and clove. [The anise note is much stronger on the dry glass]. Flavour and Texture: A sweet, mild, nectar arrival with fruity spices (orange, anise, cinnamon, clove). Very light and delicate in texture - silken rather than syrupy. The finish is not long, but it stays gently sweet and spicy right through to the aftertaste without being cloying. The sweetness is more like honeycomb or honeysuckle nectar than honey itself, and certainly nothing like simple sugar syrup or caramel. Lovely. Delightful. Charming. Most whisky liqueurs that I've tasted mimic Drambuie to a greater or less degree, with the emphasis being a bold, intense honey and spice presence. This liqueur, in contrast, is particularly light and fresh. It's aromas are gentle and subdued, but not weak, and the palate is also light and elegant. In some respects it looks, smells and tastes like a dessert wine. The texture in particular is much more like fortified or naturally heavy-bodied wine than most spirit liqueurs. You could comfortably serve this to your wine-loving guests after dinner in place of a dessert sauternes or noble riesling. There is also something almost gin-like about the botanicals at use here. I don't think there is any juniper, but in all other respects there is a resemblance. It's a character that works very well with honey and whisky and this is an altogether delightful liqueur that puts to shame almost all the Scottish and Irish whisky liqueurs. It's probably impossible to find outside Australia, and it's hard to find even here. Highly recommended, at AUS$60 for a 350ml bottle it is expensive, but it's well worth the money. "Very Good" : 86/100 (4 stars)