NOW EXPERIENCING:The Still

Traverse Tasmania’s illustrious whisky scene at The Still, a one-stop shop in Hobart where Lark Distillery showcases the best of local drams and gins to boot.

Join a masterclass at The Still in Hobart to learn more about spirits
Why you goTasmania is known for its whisky and gin, but visiting the state’s 80-odd distilleries would be a task beyond even the most avid fan. To make life a little easier for whisky enthusiasts, The Still, from Tasmanian whisky pioneer Lark Distillery, boasts Australia’s biggest collection of local whiskies via its bar lined with hundreds of glowing, amber-hued bottles. Plenty of gins are also on offer here and visitors have the opportunity to blend their own whisky or gin if they’d like to get a little more involved. Of course, if you’d rather just settle in with a dram of your favourite (or new favourite) drop, that’s easily done, too.
Why you stayThere are some 150 whiskies available here, so repeat visits are a must-do if you want to taste your way around the island. The leatherbound whisky list is a weighty tome, but staff are happy to guide you if it all seems a little overwhelming. The Still knows that whisky lovers aren’t always drinking with other whisky lovers so there’s a crisply curated Tasmanian wine list, a generous gin list and a selection of mainly Tasmanian apéritifs and liqueurs.
The leather-bound drinks menu at The Still in Hobart
One of many great cocktails on offer at The Still in Hobart
What drink to orderEase into things with a whisky flight such as the Lark Story (three 15ml nips for $39) or perhaps Bourbon Beasties, featuring three bourbon-cask whiskies from around the state ($44). Cocktails are gin- and whisky-based, and the crowd favourite is the House Old-fashioned ($25), made with Symphony No 1 blended malt whisky spiked with maple syrup, mango and orange. After-work drinks are the perfect time to enjoy a $12 Native Martini with Forty Spotted Classic Gin, strawberry vermouth and kunzea, an indigenous herb. Beers and ciders are predominantly Tasmanian, such as Burnie’s Communion Brewing Crisp Lager ($11), while housemade alcohol-free sodas feature native ingredients such as wattleseed and pepperberry.
Why we love itNot only is The Still a laid-back place to enjoy a drink, with a vibe that changes throughout the day – DJs kick off on Fridays and Saturdays, there’s live jazz on Wednesdays – it also offers educational sessions on whisky and the distilling industry created by Bill Lark in 1992. Lark’s original still sits in the corner of the front bar and sessions run throughout the day for guided whisky tastings, gin-blending classes and Fuse whisky-blending sessions that will see you leave with a 500ml bottle of Lark whisky that’s entirely unique to you.
DJs often play at The Still in Hobart
Don’t leave withoutKeep the whisky vibes going by grabbing a bottle of Lark whisky or, if you prefer, snag some Forty Spotted gin to take home and add to your collection.