For eight generations, Gyrup Gård has operated as an agricultural business, but the current owners are giving the grain a new purpose
Meet the family that returned to their roots to create a new purpose steeped in old traditions.
The smoky aroma of whiskey lingers, even as the west wind whistles through the large barn.
Marie Stjernholm gazes at the thousands of barrels stacked in layers up to the ceiling, resting till the future. Lost in thought, a small crease forms on her forehead.
“It’s not all the time, but sometimes I wonder about how the seasons changed when my great-grandfather was farming this land,” says Marie Stjernholm.
She is the eighth generation at Gyrup Gård, where she grew up with her siblings and now lives with her own family, running the farm as a farmer, director, and business developer.
Once solely a traditional farm, the property now features small signs for a farm shop and open doors hinting at its transformation. Together with her sister and their two partners, Andreas Poulsen and Jakob Stjernholm, Marie has created a whiskey distillery that uses grains from the surrounding fields and welcomes guests for tastings and tours.
A Secret Hobby
On a large stone in front of the farm are the names of the previous owners. The last name, Marie Stjernholm’s father, Nicolaj Nicolaisen, had the idea for whisky production, which the current generation has now commercialized and refined.
“My father had a lot of quirky ideas and experimented quietly on a small scale. He had this notion that maybe you could make whiskey from the high-quality grains he grew,” says Marie Stjernholm.
For years, the family didn’t know what he was working on. But one Christmas Eve, he brought out small glasses and opened the first whiskey barrel. It was a turning point.
“The whiskey tasted good but also had its own distinct character—our whisky. It tasted of Thy, of the barns, of our own grains,” says Marie’s brother-in-law, Andreas Poulsen.
When the time came for Marie’s parents to decide the future of the farm upon their retirement, Marie and her sister chose to return with their families to continue running it—not only as a farm but now also as a whisky distillery.
“It was entirely our decision to take over the farm and carry it forward. There was no pressure, but once we started thinking about creating a distillery where we could invite people in and showcase our little corner of the world, it quickly felt like the right choice,” says Marie Stjernholm.
Today, the two couples handle different parts of the business, from communication to operations, distillery work, and guided tours. The close collaboration within the family is both a gift and a challenge.
“As much as being tied together is a gift, it can also be difficult. We have to succeed because family relationships are at stake, so there’s a strong awareness that we must work very hard to support one another. But those things tend to come hand in hand,” says Andreas Poulsen.
