A whisky worth gifting: LARK’s Fire Horse Edition honours Lunar New Year in style
Tasmania’s LARK Distillery’s limited-edition single malt is shaping up to be one of the season’s most luxurious gifts.
2 min
If you’re hunting for a Christmas present that won’t end up re-gifted by February, LARK Distillery has delivered something genuinely special.
The Tasmanian whisky house has unveiled its 2026 Limited Edition Lunar New Year release, the Fire Horse Edition, a striking single malt that blends craftsmanship, culture and collectability.
Inspired by the Year of the Fire Horse, the release is as much an artistic object as it is a whisky.
Sydney artist Chris Yee has cloaked the bottle in a luminous wrap of symbolism and texture. His design fuses fire, wood and water, with Cradle Mountain and celestial motifs anchoring the scene.
Waves of movement and paths of connection run through the artwork, reflecting the journeys, traditions and family reunions that define the season.
Yee describes the concept in the release as an homage to the natural elements that shape both Asian and Australian cultures, saying he wanted to highlight how “fire, wood and water” sit at the heart of the distilling process and the stories we share.
Inside the bottle, the whisky is just as layered.
Matured in first-fill Sherry and Port casks, it opens with soft pear blossom and honeyed tea notes before moving through orange-spiced cake, apricot compote and treacle sponge pudding.
The finish lingers with hazelnut praline, glazed fruits and a whisper of highland peat smoke. It’s indulgent without being heavy; festive without being overly sweet.
LARK Master Distiller Chris Thomson captures the sentiment neatly in the release, saying the Fire Horse Edition “is about more than flavour, it’s about the feeling of coming together.”
The whisky holds the celebration in the glass, while the artwork reflects the journey home.
For those planning Lunar New Year drinks, LARK also suggests a few seasonal serves, including a Sencha Blossom Old Fashioned and a Toasted Fortune Highball with toasted sesame cordial.
With only a limited number available and strong gifting appeal, expect this one to move quickly.
A long-standing cultural cruise and a new expedition-style offering will soon operate side by side in French Polynesia.
The pandemic-fuelled love affair with casual footwear is fading, with Bank of America warning the downturn shows no sign of easing.
A long-standing cultural cruise and a new expedition-style offering will soon operate side by side in French Polynesia.
3 minFrom late 2026 and into 2027, PONANT Explorations Group will base two ships in French Polynesia, offering travellers a choice between a culturally immersive classic and a far more exploratory deep-Pacific experience.
The move builds on more than 25 years of operating in the region with the iconic m/s Paul Gauguin, while introducing the expedition-focused Le Jacques Cartier to venture into lesser-known waters.
Together, the two vessels will cover all five Polynesian archipelagos — the Society, Tuamotu, Austral, Gambier and Marquesas Islands — as well as the remote Pitcairn Islands.
THE PAUL GAUGUIN: CULTURAL IMMERSION, POLYNESIAN STYLE
Long regarded as the benchmark for cruising in French Polynesia, m/s Paul Gauguin will remain based year-round in the region.
Renovated in 2025, the ship continues to focus on relaxed, culturally rich journeys with extended port stays designed to allow guests to experience daily life across the islands.
A defining feature of the onboard experience is the presence of the Gauguins and Gauguines — Polynesian hosts who share local traditions through music, dance and hands-on workshops, including weaving and craft demonstrations.
The atmosphere is deliberately intimate and internationally minded, catering to travellers seeking depth rather than distance.
Across the 2026–27 seasons, the ship will operate 66 departures, primarily across the Society Islands, Tuamotu and Marquesas, with select voyages extending to Fiji, Tonga and the Cook Islands.
LE JACQUES CARTIER: EXPLORATION AT THE EDGE
Le Jacques Cartier introduces a more adventurous dimension to PONANT’s Polynesian offering, with itineraries focused on the least visited corners of the South Pacific.
The ship will debut three new “Discovery” itineraries, each 14 nights in length, which can also be combined into a single, extended 42-night voyage — the most comprehensive Polynesian itinerary currently available.
In total, the combined journey spans six archipelagos, 23 islands and the Pitcairn Islands, a British Overseas Territory rarely included on cruise itineraries.
Unlike the Paul Gauguin’s cultural focus, Le Jacques Cartier centres on exploration.
Each day includes one guided activity led by local experts, with excursions conducted via tenders, local boats and zodiacs. Scuba diving is available on board, supported by a resident instructor.
Across the 2026–27 period, the ship will operate nine departures, offering a deliberately limited and low-impact presence in some of the Pacific’s most isolated communities.
THREE NEW DISCOVERY ITINERARIES
The new itineraries aboard Le Jacques Cartier include:
– Secret Polynesia: Unexplored Tuamotu, the Gambier Islands and the Austral Islands
– From Confidential French Polynesia to Pitcairn Island
– Polynesian Bliss: Marquesas and Tuamotu
Each voyage departs from Papeete, with prices starting from $15,840 per person.
SCOUTING THE PACIFIC’S MOST REMOTE COMMUNITIES
In preparation for the new itineraries, PONANT Explorations Group undertook extensive scouting across the Austral and Tuamotu Islands to develop activities in collaboration with local communities.
José Sarica, the group’s R&D Expedition Experience Director, worked directly with residents to design experiences including welcome ceremonies, cultural workshops and visits to marae, the region’s sacred open-air temples.
Six new ports of call have been confirmed as part of this process, spanning both the Tuamotu and Austral archipelagos.
SIX NEW PORTS OF CALL CONFIRMED
New stopovers include:
– Mataiva, known for its rare mosaic lagoon
– Hikueru, home to one of the largest lagoons in the Tuamotus
– Makemo, noted for its red-footed boobies and frigatebirds
– Raivavae, famed for its crystal-clear lagoon pools
– Tubuai, rich in marae and spiritual heritage
– Rurutu, known for limestone caves and seasonal humpback whale sightings
A DUAL EXPERIENCE, ONE DESTINATION
By pairing its long-established cultural voyages with expedition-led exploration, PONANT Explorations Group is positioning French Polynesia not as a single experience, but as two distinct journeys — one grounded in tradition and comfort, the other pushing into the furthest reaches of the Pacific.
For travellers seeking either immersion or discovery, the South Pacific is about to feel both familiar and entirely new.
Pure Amazon has begun journeys deep into Peru’s Pacaya-Samiria National Reserve, combining contemporary design, Indigenous craftsmanship and intimate wildlife encounters in one of the richest ecosystems on Earth.
Australia’s housing market rebounded sharply in 2025, with lower-value suburbs and resource regions driving growth as rate cuts, tight supply and renewed competition reshaped the year.
