Written by Senior Brand Ambassador, Edrington. Martin Markvardsen. 

On the 2nd of July the Finnish Viking Raid came to Orkney. For over a year, a cooperation between The Finnish Whisky Association, the founder of the Finnish whisky Fair ” Uisge” (Mika Jansson), Paul McLean of mcleanscotland whisky tours and Edrington Finland, came together. Senior Brand Ambassador Martin Markvardsen welcomed them as arrived by coach on Orkney.  ” This trip for the Finnish whisky fans has been on it’s way for a long time. For the last couple of years Mika Jannson and I have talk about this. Highland Park is one one the favourite malts in Finland and every time I’m in Finland to do maste classes it’s always the first to be sold out”, tells Martin Markvardsen.

The group was welcomed at Highland Park Distillery by Patricia Retson, myself (Martin Markvardsen) and tour guide Martin Gray. They had  a fantastic tour around the distillery before the two Martins took them on a special tour round Orkney taking in Hobbister, Cliffs of Yesnaby and Skara Brae.  Martin Gray, gave the group the best insight of history and tales about Orkney whist acting as tour guide for the mcleanscotland group. A tasting was done in the cask room at the distillery, where the Finnish group also had a special guest with them; Jani Bergström a guitar builder and a true Highland Park fan. Graham Manson Highland Park Distillery Manager and Patricia were there when he handed over a new Valhalla banjolin…. LOKI .

It has been hard work especially from Edrington Finland to keep the interest for Highland Park growing. There will be a lot of special tastings in the future in Finland, and Highland Park will for be present at the next whisky fair in Helsinki, Finland.

Paul Mclean of MCLEAN SCOTLAND (working with Mika and Martin), arranged the distillery tour (the coach tour sold out in 60 seconds) and was really pleased at the result. Paul also invited Martin to be guest for dinner the previous evening, where they all shared a few good drams!  All in all, this trip went – as usual – very well.