Larkfire
the World Of Hospitality 45
“If you think about how many times tap water has been
recycled before it reaches a bar or restaurant and how
much chlorine and fluoride is added, particularly in
London, there’s no way it should be going anywhere near a
good whisky.
“Consumers have now bought into the idea of making sure
the tonic in their G&T is the best they can have, and this
is exactly the same concept. Whisky drinkers might pay
£20, £30, or even more for a single glass of scotch in a
bar, and then they’re adding chlorine-heavy tap water to a
wonderful drink. It doesn’t make sense.
“In Scotland we have a law specifying how whisky should
be made, yet we’re willing to dilute this centuries-old
craftmanship by allowing bog-standard tap water to be
added to our great drink.
“Many whisky drinkers also incorrectly assume that
using bottled water is better, but its high mineral content
interferes with the aroma and taste.
“We wanted Larkfire to be as close to the perfect water
for whisky we could find in the UK and we think we’ve got
that. We travelled the breadth of Scotland looking for the
very finest water to mix with whisky, consulting master
blenders, professors, chemists and geologists en route.
“We learnt that the Isle of Lewis is made up of some of the
oldest rock in the world, Lewisian gneiss, and that this rock
is metamorphic and non-soluble meaning the water there
is pure, soft and really low in mineral content. The Outer
Hebrides is home to 15% of the UK’s freshwater surface
area – something we saw first-hand during our many visits
– so water supply is regular and plentiful.
“Mixing this water with whisky creates a natural chemistry
– the water complements the whisky unlocking its hidden
complexities and creating a drink that is more enjoyable
and has greater depth.”
James added: “We’re excited to expand the market with
an innovative, quality product that will make whisky more
accessible and appealing to a wider audience, whilst having
wide-reaching benefits for our producers and stockists.”
Larkfire is sourced on the Isle of Lewis in the Outer
Hebrides. The climate of the Isle of Lewis is characterised
by short, cool and windy summers and extremely wet and
windy winters – this wild climate and Scottish wilderness
come together to produce the purest wild water.
The water is held on the surface by 3-billion-year-old
Lewisian gneiss rock, among the oldest rock in the world.
This non-soluble metamorphic rock is part of the reason
for the water’s purity and lack of mineral content – it
is naturally very soft and retains a slightly golden hue.
Larkfire will be available from September.
website: www.larkfire.com