Celebrating its ninetieth anniversary this yr, Nikka Whisky – and certainly the whole Japanese whisky class – owes its existence to at least one man: Masataka Taketsuru. The corporate’s founder was born in Takehara, Hiroshima, in 1894.
His household had owned a sake brewery since 1733 and he was destined to hitch the enterprise earlier than he encountered Western-style spirits, whereas finding out fermentation methods at Osaka Technical College. ‘I wish to make this,’ his notes recorded. ‘As soon as I began considering that approach, I couldn’t resist temptation.’
Younger Masataka Taketsuru
Touchdown a job with spirits producer Settsu Shuzo in Osaka, in 1918, the ultimate yr of the First World Struggle, he was despatched to Scotland to find out about Scotch whisky. Taketsuru was the primary particular person from Japan ever to do that; on the time it was an arduous journey, taking on 50 days by ship and rail.
Chemistry programs at Glasgow College have been adopted by brief apprenticeships with distilleries together with Longmorn in Elgin, Bo’ness – the place he realized to distil grain whisky in a Coffey nonetheless – and Hazelburn in Campbeltown. The outcome was a sequence of notebooks, hand-written and with meticulous diagrams. These ‘Taketsuru Notes’ grew to become Japan’s first handbook for whisky manufacturing.
Japan’s first whisky
Within the wake of the financial turmoil that adopted the First World Struggle, Settsu Shuzo deserted its plans to provide whisky. However Shinjiro Torii of Kotobukiya (later renamed Suntory) had related designs. In 1923 he employed Taketsuru to supervise the constructing of Yamazaki Distillery on the outskirts of Kyoto. As distillery supervisor Taketsuru produced the primary Japanese whisky – Suntory Shirofuda – in 1929.
Taketsuru had returned to Japan with greater than his notebooks nonetheless… In Glasgow he fell in love with native lass Rita Cowan. ‘A girl was looking at me with spherical, lovely eyes. That was Rita,’ he famous in his diary. Later confessing: ‘It was love at first sight.’ The pair married in Glasgow in 1920.
Masataka Taketsuru and Rita on their wedding ceremony day
Rita instantly immersed herself in Japanese tradition, studying the language and in addition the way to cook dinner Japanese meals. Importantly, she additionally supported Taketsuru in his dream of opening his personal distillery, which occurred in 1934. The couple had settled in Yoichi in Japan’s northern island, Hokkaido – chosen for its resemblance to Campbeltown, bordered by mountains and the ocean.
Nikka is born
Initially making apple merchandise as Dai Nippon Kaju – ‘Nice Japanese Juice Firm’ – Taketsuru was additionally busy designing the primary pot nonetheless to be manufactured in Japan. It was put in at Yoichi Distillery in 1936 and Nikka Whisky was launched in 1940. Nikka, brief for Nippon Kaju, later grew to become the corporate identify.
Immediately Yoichi is distinctive for being one of many final distilleries on this planet that also heats its stills with direct coal hearth. That is stated to impart a signature toastiness to the aromas of its malts. Yoichi was additionally chosen as a super location as a result of Taketsuru discovered peat close by within the native Ishikari Plain. The corporate nonetheless owns a peat lavatory there, although today malted, peated barley is imported from international locations akin to Australia and Germany to provide Nikka’s whiskies.
Coal-fired stills at Nikka Whisky’s Yoichi Distillery
Following its preliminary launch of Nikka Whisky, the Yoichi Distillery launched Nikka Black in 1956. This was adopted by Tremendous Nikka in 1962, created as a tribute to Rita, who died in 1961.
Miyagiko Distillery
Pursuing his goals of whisky-making alone – and impressed by the regional characters of Scotch – Taketsuru based a second distillery, Miyagiko, close to Sendai on Japan’s most important Honshu island in 1969. The extra southerly location lent itself to the manufacturing of lighter, extra elegant whiskies to enrich the daring Yoichi malts.
Coffey nonetheless at Miyagiko Distillery
Miyagiko grew to become recognized for its two Coffey stills, initially imported immediately from Glasgow within the Sixties. They allowed for steady distillation, rising Nikka’s manufacturing capability. Nikka Coffey Grain was launched in 2012, adopted by Nikka Coffey Malt in 2014 – the vary additionally features a Gin and Vodka, all with signature minimalist labelling.
Lasting legacy
Masataka Taketsuru ‘Father of Japanese whisky’
Following the demise of Taketsuru in 1979, Nikka continued to evolve with iconic releases within the Nineteen Eighties together with Nikka from the Barrel and single malts from Yoichi and Miyagiko. The corporate was purchased by Asashi in 2001 and is now the second-largest whisky producer in Japan behind Suntory.
Together with his exceptional sequence of pioneering ‘firsts’ Taketsuru created the blueprint for Japanese whisky, paving the best way for its international recognition immediately. Little marvel the founding father of Nikka has been dubbed the ‘Father of Japanese whisky’.
Nikka whiskies: Seven to attempt
Nikka Coffey Grain
Produced in one in every of Nikka’s steady Coffey stills, this grain whisky is a mixture of 95% corn and 5% malted barley, matured in ex-bourbon casks. That bourbon character runs by the palate, which is good and fruity, with notes of toffee, candied peel, tropical fruit and zesty citrus. Alc 45%
Nikka Coffey Malt
It’s extremely uncommon to distil 100% malt in a steady Coffey nonetheless, however this expression (beforehand solely launched in single casks) grew to become so widespread that Nikka added it to the core vary in 2014. It’s straightforward to know the enchantment: toasty tropical aromas dance throughout the nostril – roasted pineapple and bananas Foster. Mango, banana and crème brûlée take part on the palate, with a protracted end of woody spices. Alc 45%
Nikka Days
Made for Highballs, this mild and brilliant fashion is a mix of malt and grain spirits from the Miyagikyo and Yoichi distilleries. Approachable and fruity, it kicks off with recent apple and citrus aromas earlier than the palate expands into rounder orchard fruit flavours, toffee, vanilla, mild spice and only a whisper of peat smoke. Strive it because the distillery supposed: in a refreshing Highball with soda and loads of ice. Alc 40%
Nikka from the Barrel
In its signature rectangular bottle – primarily based on the form of an previous peat shovel – Nikka from the Barrel embodies the Nikka philosophy, mixing each single malt and grain spirits from Miyagikyo and Yoichi, aged in an array of various casks, together with bourbon and Sherry. Deep, complicated and really wealthy with notes of pink apple, cinnamon, butterscotch and vanilla, overlaid with woody spice; add a touch of water to open it up. Alc 51.4%
Nikka Myagiko Single Malt
This expression from Nikka’s Myagiko distillery in Sendai is a mix of single malts from totally different years, which means there’s no age assertion on the label. Largely matured in ex-Sherry casks, it has wealthy smoky, spicy, woody aromas, with notes of citrus fruit and banana. Within the mouth it’s complicated and layered, with hints of dried fruit, stone fruit, malty chocolate, ginger and salted nuts, that linger on the lengthy, smooth end. Alc 45%
Nikka Taketsuru Pure Malt
Named in honour of Masataka Taketsuru, this blended malt is sourced from Yoichi and Miyagiko, with a better proportion of the latter. It spends round 10 years maturing in a wide range of casks, together with ex-Sherry, which provides dried fruit aromas and wealthy creaminess to the palate. Caramel, delicate smoke, plenty of ripe fruit and spices make a satisfying dram. Alc 43%
Nikka Yoichi Single Malt
A no-age-statement mix of single malts from totally different years. Elegant peat smokiness is mixed with fruit notes – orange, lemon, melon, pear – spices and a touch of chocolate. Wealthy, easy and harmonious, with some saltiness on the lingering smoky end that’s emblematic of the Yoichi Distillery’s direct-coal-fired stills. Alc 45%
