The story of Nikka: the Japanese man who brought Scotch whisky home, and its world-beating single malt
- In 1918, Masataka Taketsuru went to Scotland to learn about whisky. He returned home in 1920 with a Scottish wife to set up his distillery
- In 2001, its Nikka 10-year-old Single Cask Yoichi malt whisky was voted the world’s ‘Best of the Best’
In centuries past Japanese entrepreneurs, engineers and adventurers looked overseas for inspiration. They recognised the potential in early rail and shipping technology, the degree to which automobiles, modern medicine, a police force and army modelled on those of the European powers could help to build and shape the nation.
They took these concepts, returned to Japan and refined, enhanced and improved upon the original. The result was companies that led the world in car technology, electronics and countless other areas.
Precisely the same thing happened with the drink that is synonymous with Scotland but was brought to Japan in 1920 by Masataka Taketsuru.
Given that good whisky takes several years to reach its peak, it is perhaps appropriate that Taketsuru’s hard work took some time to be recognised, but he would undoubtedly have been pleased to hear that Whisky Magazine – the UK-based bible of the tipple – in 2001 voted a 10-year-old Single Cask Yoichi the world’s “Best of the Best” in its annual testing competition.
Japanese whisky had already begun to earn itself a reputation, but that stunning announcement made the whisky world sit up and take notice. It also encouraged more people to visit the town of Yoichi, on the west coast of Hokkaido, where Taketsuru built his first distillery after returning home.
Every year, more than 260,000 people visit the distillery, which is spread out over 132,000 square metres of the town and preserves buildings and equipment that were introduced by the founder of the brand and his Scottish-born wife.