William David Blake Lark (Bill)
Lark Distillery Founder
Together with my wife Lyn, I established Lark Distillery in May 1992. This was the first such licence issued in Tasmanian since 1839. I was a founding member of the Australian Distillers Association and The Tasmanian Whisky Producers Association, and I am now affectionately
known as the “godfather” of the Australian whisky industry.
At the Tasmanian Tourism Awards 2013, I was named “Ministers Champion”. In 2014 Lark Distillery was awarded Telstra Tasmanian and Australian Small Business of the Year. I was personally awarded Hospitality Ministers Award for Excellence for “Contribution to the Industry” 2015.
In March 2015, I was inducted, No 28, into the World Whisky Awards Hall of Fame in the United Kingdom (1 st Australian inductee). I was a founding director of Victoria Valley Distillery2008 now known as Starward Distillery. In 2012, I co-founded the Redlands Distillery in the Derwent Valley, now known as Old Kempton Distillery and I am still an active member of their board. I have previously acted as a judge in several Australian Spirit Awards and in February 2019, I was appointed Head Judge for the inaugural Australian Gin Awards, Head Judge for the Tasting Australia Spirit Awards in South Australia and I am currently the Head Judge of the Perth Royal Distillery Awards. I have consulted to distilleries across Australia, in New Zealand and the United Kingdom. In 2021 I was the inaugural Inductee in the Australian Whisky Hall of Fame and in 2022 I was inducted into the Australian Distillers Association Hall of Fame and together with my wife, Lyn, I was granted Life Membership of the Tasmanian Whisky & Spirits Association. Currently I am engaged as Global Brand Ambassador for Lark Distilling Co.