Distileri

Nikka

Hokkaido / Miyagi, Japan · 1934'den beri

The story of Nikka Whisky is one of the most poignant and human chapters in the history of Japanese whisky. Masataka Taketsuru travelled to Scotland in 1918, studying distillation in Campbeltown and Glasgow while also falling in love with and marrying Rita Cowan, a Scottish woman who would follow him back to Japan. After gaining experience at Suntory, Taketsuru founded his own distillery in 1934 in Yoichi, a rugged coastal town in Hokkaido whose climate and landscape reminded him of the Scottish Highlands. A second distillery, Miyagikyo, followed in 1969 near Sendai in Miyagi Prefecture, offering a contrasting gentler, more floral character. Together, the two distilleries give Nikka an unusual breadth of style. The brand masterfully employs both pot stills and Coffey stills — the latter originally designed by Aeneas Coffey in the 19th century — yielding expressions that range from peaty and robust to delicate and grain-forward. Iconic releases such as From the Barrel, the Coffey Grain, and the Taketsuru Pure Malt blends have earned Nikka a devoted global following. Taketsuru's devotion to craft and his enduring love story with Rita remain at the spiritual heart of the brand.