Nikka is a Japanese distillery founded by Masataka Taketsuru, the father of Japanese whiskey . Born in 1894 in Hiroshima, into a family of sake producers, in 1918 he decided to move to Scotland to learn all the secrets of whiskey distillation. He enrolled at the University of Glasgow and studied Chemistry. He soon entered three Scottish distilleries as an apprentice, learning the secrets of the trade and the art of distilling from Scotland's greatest artisans. He returned to Japan in 1920 with his Scottish wife Jessie Roberta. Masataka was close to the realization of his dream, when he arrived in Japan and discovered that the company for which he was supposed to produce Whiskey had abandoned the project due to the post World War I recession. At the same time, Kotobukiya Limited was looking for a figure to deal with the production of whiskey and Masataka was the only Japanese able to fill the role. He was hired by Kotobukiya to lead the construction of the distillery and the production of the first Japanese whiskey. After ten years, Masataka decided to found his own distillery, moved to Yoichi and there he embarked on his personal project. Yoichi was an area of Japan with climatic and environmental conditions very similar to Scotland, at the beginning the distillery produced apple products, soon the first still was installed and in 1940 the first Masataka whiskey with the Nikka brand was launched Whiskey, which later became the name of the company. Over the years the Nikka Distillery has seen a great expansion and in 1969 the Miyagikyo distillery was added to the Yoichi distillery. Even today, Nikka is considered one of the best distilleries in Japan and the world. Discover the Nikka selection on Vino.com.

Nikka whiskey

The Nikka Whiskey was born in the Yoichi distillery, a wild place similar to the Scottish Highlands, surrounded by mountains on three sides and the sea on the fourth. As with Scottish whiskeys , in this area of Japan, humidity, water quality and the strength of the winds play a leading role, giving the whiskey fresh and saline notes. Nikka ad Yoichi whiskey is still produced following traditional coal distillation today. Yoichi's Single Malt is in fact a whiskey with particularly toasted notes. The second Nikka distillery, Miyagikyo, founded in 1967, stands on a valley surrounded by mountains and washed by two rivers. It is said that Masataka during his journey in search of another ideal place to produce spirits, he came across these lands north of Japan and that tasting the water of one of the two rivers he realized that it was the ideal place to build another distillery. The production of the two distilleries is very different, both for the different climates and for the distinct distillation processes. Miyagikyo distillates are made from grains and malt. The distillation takes place with the Coffey Still, a traditional continuous still that Masataka knew in Scotland and transferred to Miyagikyo for its ability to preserve the original flavor of the bean.

Why is the Nikka Whiskey considered the best in the world?

Japan along with Scotland is one of the most important countries for the production of high quality whiskey and Nikka is considered one of the best whiskeys in the world. For 7 years the 17 and 21 year old Taketsuru won the World's Whiskey Awards as the best Blended Malt, while the Yoichi won the Best Single Malt Whiskey award in the world. In 2019, the 25 year old Taketsuru Pure Malt won 2 awards, as the best blended malt in the world at the World Whiskey Awards and as "TROPHY" at the International Spirits Challenge (ISC). Thanks to the numerous international awards received over time, the Nikka Whiskey is considered one of the best malt whiskeys in the world.

Is the Nikka Whiskey peaty?

The tradition of peaty whiskey is mainly linked to Scotland. In Japan no distillery produces only peaty whiskeys, although it is possible to find particularly smoky Japanese whiskeys, with a marginal contribution of peat aimed at making the whiskey more elegant. The Nikka whiskey produced in Yoichi deserves a separate comment, since the underground water source used for production is filtered by peat, which intensifies its aromatic complexity and structure. Discover the characteristics of Nikka whiskeys on Vino.com.

Is the Nikka Whiskey of Japanese origin?

Yes, the Nikka Whiskey is of Japanese origin and what makes it truly special is that its founder, Masataka Taketsuru, was the first Japanese to learn the Scottish art of whiskey distillation. His resourcefulness and curiosity drove him to Scotland, where he learned to distill and then return to his homeland and devote himself to the production of whiskey. Today Japan boasts one of the best whiskeys in the world. Discover the Nikka selection on Vino.com. You will find a wide range of Nikka spirits, not only the famous Taketsuru Pure Malt Whiskey but also Coffey Gin and Coffey Vodka.