121st Whisky Insiders Interview - Martin Markvardsen

Company:

Highland Park

Job:

Senior Global Brand Ambassador

Website:

highlandparkwhisky.com

Socials:

@HighlandPark

How long have you been working in the whisky industry?

Well, I’m a bit of a dinosaur. I hosted my first whisky tasting 33 years ago, but I started working full-time in the industry 22 years ago. My first job was at the Whisky World in Copenhagen airport. It was great time, being able to work with my hobby and passion was simply amazing!
 
I later went onto start The Whisky House shop in Copenhagen, before then moving to the Craigellachie Hotel as Whisky Manager in their famous Quaich Bar. From there I moved to Edrington and Highland Park, where I’ve been working since 2006.

What has been your biggest career highlight to date?
To name one highlight would be difficult, as the world of whisky gives you so many. Becoming Global Ambassador for Highland Park was a dream come true - and still to this day I think I have the best job in world.
 
Crossing the North Sea in a sailboat to launch the Highland Park Dark Origins in 2014 was a scary, funny, crazy and breath-taking experience. We experienced the worst weather in the North Sea for 12 years, so we really experienced how the Vikings would have felt it 1000 years ago.
 
Becoming a Keeper and later a Master of the Quaich, would be a personal highlight, along with winning the Icon of Whisky award two times as best Global Scotch Whisky Brand Ambassador.
 
Can you remember your first dram, and indeed what it was?
It was a Ballentine’s and I loved it! I still think it’s a great blend. My first single malt was Glenkinchie - and that’s where it all began! I became fascinated by the history of whisky making, loved the passion people showed for the product they produced, and then of course the chemistry and mystique in production and maturation.

What does whisky mean to you?
It means a lot to me. It’s not only about the product we produce, but the entire world around it. From the team in Orkney that make the spirit that becomes the whisky I talk about and praise, to my colleagues in Glasgow - and of course my fellow ambassadors in the industry. They are family and the ones I talk to and dine with during my travels, so for me, family!
 

Where would you like to see yourself in five years’ time?
You know what, I love what I’m doing, simply love it. So I’ll be happy to continue. Maybe do more education for our local Brand Ambassadors.
 
What was your last dram?
My last drams were a Highland Park 21 Year Old and a new (Old) Highland Park, that I can’t mention at this moment.
 
Do you have a favourite whisky and food pairing combination?
I love pairing food with Highland Park. Since my days at the Craigellachie Hotel, I’ve always had a passion for it - and we did a lot of whisky dinners and pairings. Highland Park and BBQ is simply amazing. Smoked salmon with Highland Park 12 Year Old is no less than a match made in heaven, along with Highland Park 18 Year Old and grilled scallops.
 
Seafood in general matches well with Highland Park, but cheese, lamb and even fried rice with chicken, served with Highland Park 10 Year Old, is unbelievably good.
 

What’s your favourite time and place to enjoy a dram?
Depending on the dram I can always find a time and place. There are of course favourite places, and one of them is Orkney and more specifically, the Cliffs of Yesnaby. It’s beautiful, rough and its where nature shows its power. It’s the essence of Highland Park, and I love to go sit there with good friends and talk with a glass of great whisky in front of me.
 
What do you think is going to be the next big thing on the whisky horizon?  
We’ve already seen it coming - collaborations with other companies, such as The Macallan/Bentley, Bowmore/Aston Martin etc. but I also hope that food pairing will be bigger, as there’s so many opportunities there. Question is, does the world of whisky need a next big thing? I’m not sure.
 
What’s the one dram you couldn’t live without? 

One? only one? Then I have to say Highland Park 18 Year Old. Still to this day the best dram for me!
 
Many thanks to Martin Markvardsen. Who will be our next Whisky Insider? Click back soon to find out!

Hyde Whiskey Tweet Tasting

Fancy some Irish whiskey fuelled dramfotainment this St Patrick’s Day? Well as ever, allow us to very gladly oblige!

 

We’re absolutely thrilled to announce that on Friday March 17th, we’ll be teaming up again with our friends at the multi-award-winning Hyde Irish Whiskey, to pour and explore their Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey.

 

If you would like to take part in another epic evening of all things Irish and celebrate with something sipsational this St Patrick’s Day click here to register by emailing your name, address, mobile phone number, date of birth and Twitter handle. Also, please remember to mark the subject line with the hashtag: #HydeWhiskey

 

The closing date to register is March 3rd, and if you are registering to take part please make sure that you will actually be free on the evening of Friday March 17th to take part!

 

Even if you're not one of the selected tasters, it'd be great to have you following all the evenings dram-craic-spankery. So we look forward to seeing you over on Twitter on March 17th from 19:00 GMT via #HydeWhiskey

 

Registration open to over 21's only!

 

For more info on Hyde Whiskey visit: hydewhiskey.ie

 

@TheWhiskyWire

@HydeWhiskey

#HydeWhiskey

#BePartOfTheDramfotainment

#TheHomeOfTheTweetTasting

120th Whisky Insiders Interview - Paul Dempsey

Company:

Brave New Spirits

Job:

Sales & Marketing Director

Website:

bravenewspirits.com

Socials:

@BNS_Whisky

How long have you been working in the whisky industry?
I originally started working with wine, then moved to spirits with drinks distributor Cellar Trends (now Amber Beverage) in 2002, where the first whisky brand I worked with was Arran. More recently I was Commercial Manager at the Speyside Distillery, and since last year Sales and Marketing Director at the independent Scotch whisky blenders and bottlers Brave New Spirits.

What has been your biggest career highlight to date?
No single highlight but I have plenty to choose from. Presenting for the Spirits Selection competition in China. Seeing a whisky go from cask to bottle and winning one of the biggest awards in the industry. Also working with bands like Slipknot & Slayer - endorsees for a spirit brand I was working with at the time.
 
Can you remember your first dram, and indeed what it was?
My first single malt was an Arran, at the distillery in 2002 – it was my first distillery visit too. It’s amazing to see what the Isle of Arran team have achieved after being brave enough to launch a distillery in Scotland in the 1990’s.
 
What does whisky mean to you?
Whisky means opportunity for friendship, fun, adventure and creativity!
 
Where would you like to see yourself in five years’ time?
Still working with and enjoying the whisky world, and to seeing more and more people enjoying our bottlings around the world!
 
What was your last dram?
My last dram was a 14 year old Glen Moray single cask, that we bottled late last year under our “Cask Noir” series. 
 
Do you have a favourite whisky and food pairing combination?
I’m always experimenting, but salmon or seared scallops with a lightly peated whisky is definitely up there.
 
What’s your favourite time and place to enjoy a dram?
A cosy room with an open fire, on a cold winters evening is always my favourite. But one of my most memorable times was when having my first Bowmore, whilst standing on the sea wall next to the distillery during a January storm. 
 
What do you think is going to be the next big thing on the whisky horizon?
The large number of new distilleries continuing to show the world that whisky doesn’t necessarily need to be expensive, old or super-rare in order to be excellent!
 
What’s the one dram you couldn’t live without?
I’m still a huge fan of Arran, and always seem to have a bottle of theirs in the house somewhere. So probably one of their cask finishes like their superb Amarone cask, from their pre age-statement days.
 
Many thanks to Paul Dempsey. Who will be our next Whisky Insider? Click back soon to find out!