Meet the Maker: Fuji Master Blender Jota Tanaka

We are thrilled to be hosting Jota Tanaka, Fuji’s master blender, for a masterclass exploring one of the most exciting distilleries in Japan. 

Founded in the early 1970s, the Fuji Gotemba distillery has become a household name in Japan with its whiskies a familiar and much loved sight in the country’s many whisky bars. The distillery has both pot and column stills and uses a variety of mashes and ferments to create a range of  whisky styles, both blended, single grain and single malt. As part of the 50^th anniversary celebrations the distillery has released a trio of premium bottlings offering deep insights into one of Japan’s leading whisky makers. 

Jota Tanaka himself began his career in drinks as a winemaker before a turn to things more spirited working to bring new life into Four Roses Bourbon. He returned to Japan in 2009 to work at Fuji, cementing its place as one of Japan’s most popular whiskies.

Alongside a guided tasting of six Fuji whiskies, including three 50th Anniversary releases, Jota will be joined by Billy Abbot and Dawn Davies for a Q&A discussion on his career, the history of Fuji Gotemba, and the impact of the recent Japanese Whisky classification.