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90th Anniversary
Pioneering Japanese producer Nikka has a unique, intriguing history: founder Masataka Taketsuru sailed to Scotland in 1918 to study organic chemistry and learn the craft of whisky making. It was during his time at Glasgow University that he met Jessie Roberta Cowan – who also went by ‘Rita’. The pair were married in 1920, and Rita travelled with her new husband back to Japan where a monumental task awaited him. When Masataka laid the foundations of his first distillery he did so with Rita at his side, cementing their status as the godfather – and godmother – of Japanese whisky.
Yoichi Single Malt
£76.95
Masataka chose a site on the island of Hokkaido for Nikka’s first distillery, feeling that the climate and landscape most closely resembled Scotland’s. It produces a robust, maritime style of whisky with bright citrus and stony minerality. Today, it is the only distillery in the world to operate coal fired pot stills, which lend a characteristic sense of weight and texture to its single malts.
Style
- Body3
- Richness2
- Smoke2
- Sweetness2
Character
Smoke
Seashell
Salt (powder)
Lemon
Apple
Oak
Miyagikyo Single Malt
£76.95
To create whiskies like the Scottish blends he idolised, Masataka needed a second distillery to produce single malts that would contrast with Yoichi’s. He chose to build near Sendai city, at the confluence of two rivers, where conditions were mild and humid. If Yoichi was his West Coast distillery, Miyagikyo was his Speyside. Its whiskies are round and fruity, often showing complex herbal and spicy undertones.
Style
- Body3
- Richness3
- Smoke0
- Sweetness2
Character
Cinnamon
Ginger
Tobacco
Coconut- Apple
Nikka from the Barrel
£45.50
Nikka from the Barrel is the culmination of Taketsuru’s work, a marriage of malt and grain whiskies, bottled at a robust 51.4% ABV. This whisky shows fantastically with a dash of water or served long in a classic Highball. Its distinctive palate of dried mango and peach with cedar spice and a hint of smoke has made this a modern classic of the whisky world.
Style
- Body3
- Richness3
- Smoke1
- Sweetness2
Character
Orange - Cinnamon
Clove
Walnut
Raspberry
Rita Taketsuru
As a Japanese citizen, Rita Taketsuru – who was born in Kirkintilloch, north of Glasgow – spent much of her time in Yoichi town, not far from the distillery. She supported her husband through the difficult early days of his whisky-making endeavours and is today regarded by the Nikka company as instrumental to its success. Visitors to Yoichi can still view the home the godmother of Japanese whisky shared with her husband.