From boxing champion to whisky expert: the man behind Highland Park reveals his secrets (Interview)

Friday, 23 October 2026 at 13:58

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One day off during a military exercise in Scotland changed his life forever. What started with an unexpected visit to Glenkinchie Distillery in 1987 turned into a lifelong passion for whisky. Today, Martin Markvardsen has spent more than two decades sharing the story of Highland Park, one of Scotland's most iconic single malt distilleries. But there's much more to the man behind the whisky than you might expect.

From becoming a two-time Danish boxing champion to working as a nightclub bouncer in Copenhagen, Martin's journey into the whisky world has been anything but ordinary. We got to talk with with the Highland Park whisky expert to talk about his remarkable career, the secrets behind Orkney's distinctive whisky, the people who shaped his life and what the future holds for Scotch whisky. And yes, we even discovered which Highland Park bottle he considers the ultimate expression of the distillery.

Was there a specific bottle, moment or person that sparked your passion for whisky?

Yes, in 1987 I was on military exercise near Edinburgh and we had one day off. All my colleagues went for a pub-crawl, I rented a car as I wanted to see parts of Scotland. Went into Glenkinchie and was shown around by one of the guys in production. It was the passion and stories that got me hooked, and then later the diversity in Scotch Whisky…after that visit my future was written on a bottle of whisky…. or something like that.

You’ve been working at Highland Park for over 20 years. What keeps the role exciting after all this time?

It’s the people most of all, but of course Highland Park whisky as well. I believe in the brand and always done. I think Highland Park is unique. Theres always new things to learn, new ways of doing things, but it’s the people behind the brand, the location of Highland Park and the amazing whisky we make…..

After 20 years of telling Highland Park's story, what's the one story about yourself you've never really had the chance to tell?

Haha, for me it’s always been about Highland Park. I’m not important or that interesting. Never really thought about that, but not many people know that I used to be 2 times Danish Boxing Champ, I’m extremely bad playing golf, I love riding my bike, but most of all I love spending time with my family and my two dogs. Previous I work in the Danish Military Police, I worked in a kindergarten, I was a bouncer in Copenhagen Nightlife for 14 years and I used to be the whisky manager at Craigellachie Hotel in Speyside….and a few other jobs relating to whisky.

You first tasted Highland Park in 1989. If you could sit down today with the young Martin who took that first sip, what would you pour him today?

Today I would probably pour young Martin a glass of Highland Park 18yo. It became my favorite whisky when it was launched almost 10 years later, and completely blew me away, just as the first Highland Park.

Who's the one person in the whisky industry who left a lasting impression on you, and what's the story behind that?

There have been a lot of people that made a huge impression on me, as mentors, heroes, friends. One man stands out, Jason Craig, who sadly passed away in 2022. Jason was Highland Park Brand Director, but he was also my mentor from the first day at Highland Park. Jason believed in me, he became my best friend and everyone that had the pleasure of meeting Jason talked about him as the best. He has a very special place in my heart and in the soul of Highland Park.

People talk about “terroir” in whisky all the time. What can I actually taste in Highland Park that exists because it was made on Orkney?

It’s a great question, as it has been discussed over the year if there is such a thing in the whisky industry. We know it’s a big thing in the world of wine. I think the real terroir in the whisky industry comes down to the location of the peat moors. When we talk about peat the big locations for cutting peat will be Islay, St. Fergus, Tomintoul and Orkney. The composition of peat and the decomposed organic matter over thousands of years will be different and give different flavors to the whisky. In Highland Park the sweet honey floral note comes from our local peat at Hobbister moor and can’t be found the same way anywhere else. This is where Highland Park really stands apart from anyone else. If the peat is wrong Highland Park will be wrong, and we are the only distillery in the world using Orkney peat.

If I blind-tasted Highland Park alongside other lightly peated single malts, what specific characteristic should make me say: “That has to be Highland Park”?

No doubt that the sweetness you get from the peat stands out. Also, the balance between the casks, I find unique. The DNA will always be the floral sweet heather notes.

Highland Park still uses traditional floor maltings. If you stopped tomorrow and bought all your malt commercially, how much would the whisky actually change?

It will change it a lot. We tried years ago. We even shipped our local peat down to the maltings, but still it changed our spirit a lot. Over the years, we learned that humidity, temperatures etc and our kilns make a huge impact on our spirit, so we put an honor into doing it day in, day out.

If someone spent only one day on Orkney to truly understand Highland Park, where would you take them and why?

I would first take them to Cliffs of Yesnaby. This is where Orkney life begins, this is where Orkney is formed and the reason, we have very few trees in Orkney due to the wind that comes in from the Atlantic Ocean. Then ill take the to Hobbister moor. Here the wind has shaped our peat moor over thousands of years, and the reason Highland Park tasted the way it does. Finally, they need to see Highland Park and to meet the people making the whisky. They are the true heroes of Heroes of Highland Park and to feel the passion behind the scenes.

What is the most important thing happening inside Highland Park today that visitors — and even serious Highland Park collectors — probably don’t know about?

Theres always a lot of things happening behind the scenes. Creating new products, checking casks, working on stories. At the distillery in Orkney, there are a lot of things going on that visitors don’t see. Our warehouse team constantly checking our 46000 casks on site for leaks, moving them around to make space for new casks, we have the team at Hobbister working for a better future for our moor lead by Lewis Robertson who makes sure that our peat will continue to grow for the next thousands of years.

We also have a new plant with new washback, heating system etc, that need attention, so always bust busy busy …..

Whisky enthusiasts obsess over casks. What do they misunderstand most about the influence of sherry-seasoned oak on Highland Park?

I don’t think enthusiasts misunderstand sherry casks but probably don’t think/know that it’s more oak wood than the sherry that gives the flavor and color.

Sherry seasoned casks help with the nuttiness and warm spices, together with some dried fruits and dark chocolate flavours to appear, but most important is the oak.

When you taste older Highland Park from the 1970s, 1980s or 1990s beside current releases, what has genuinely changed in the spirit - not the packaging, but the liquid?

I think the key word is consistency today. The whisky we make today is more consistent in quality. If you compare our 12yo today against 30 to 40 years ago it’s a bit different. The barley has changed, new variety, yeast has changed and the whisky has changed. When we launched the 12yo in 1979 we used older whisky in the 12yo that today, because we could. We did not have a 15yo or 18yo in market, so might as well make the 12yo as good as we could with older cask. Today we have to think about cask for not only the 15yo but expressions up to 56yo, so all whiskies has changed dur to the time we live in now.

Of all the Highland Park whiskies you've ever tasted, which bottling best captures the soul of the distillery?

It's a really good question, but I think today would say the 12yo and 18yo, but if could choose from everything we have made i would go for the 1977 Bicentenary. I think that has everything Orkney and Highland Park compressed into one bottle. Together the Highland Park 50yo from 2010 it’s my favourite Highland Park whiskies.

Highland Park has one of the strongest heritage stories in Scotch whisky. How do you keep the brand relevant for the next generation of whisky drinkers without losing authenticity?

Highland Parks story about Magnus Eunson and the Orkney heritage is timeless, it will be just as interesting in years from now as its always been, but as we move up through time, we have discovered new stories, and new will come. Today more about production and stories from more modern time. Telling the old stories is part of the DNA for Highland Park, its part of who we are. We love traditions, but also innovation and there will never be a future without a past. A clever man once told me; Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, today is a gift……I think that captures pretty much what Highland Park from 1798 is all about.

Looking ahead 10 years, what do you think will change most in the world of single malt whisky?

Well, if you asked me 20 years ago, I would have answered wrong compared to what the world of whisky is today.

Back in 1989 when I did my first whisky tasting, Scotland has 91 distilleries, there were 5 whisky producing countries… Scotland, Ireland, Japan, USA and Canada…. today it’s easier to mention the countries that are not making whisk(e)y. Unfortunately, I think we will see some distilleries closing, but I also think we will see quality go up. We will see much more experiments with casks, grain, yeast and we see the whisky cocktail scene grow.

I hope the future will give us much more food pairings as I think it’s interesting to work with. Most of all I just hope the industry will stay true to itself. The consumers and the great people that makes he whisky deserves that.

From boxing champion to whisky expert: the man behind Highland Park reveals his secrets (Interview)

Read also

Was there a specific bottle, moment or person that sparked your passion for whisky?

You’ve been working at Highland Park for over 20 years. What keeps the role exciting after all this time?

After 20 years of telling Highland Park's story, what's the one story about yourself you've never really had the chance to tell?

Read also

You first tasted Highland Park in 1989. If you could sit down today with the young Martin who took that first sip, what would you pour him today?

Who's the one person in the whisky industry who left a lasting impression on you, and what's the story behind that?

People talk about “terroir” in whisky all the time. What can I actually taste in Highland Park that exists because it was made on Orkney?

If I blind-tasted Highland Park alongside other lightly peated single malts, what specific characteristic should make me say: “That has to be Highland Park”?

Read also

Highland Park still uses traditional floor maltings. If you stopped tomorrow and bought all your malt commercially, how much would the whisky actually change?

If someone spent only one day on Orkney to truly understand Highland Park, where would you take them and why?

What is the most important thing happening inside Highland Park today that visitors — and even serious Highland Park collectors — probably don’t know about?

Whisky enthusiasts obsess over casks. What do they misunderstand most about the influence of sherry-seasoned oak on Highland Park?

When you taste older Highland Park from the 1970s, 1980s or 1990s beside current releases, what has genuinely changed in the spirit - not the packaging, but the liquid?

Of all the Highland Park whiskies you've ever tasted, which bottling best captures the soul of the distillery?

Read also

Highland Park has one of the strongest heritage stories in Scotch whisky. How do you keep the brand relevant for the next generation of whisky drinkers without losing authenticity?

Looking ahead 10 years, what do you think will change most in the world of single malt whisky?

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