To Nikka, With Love

Nikka Whisky celebrates 90 years of love, fiery passion and leadership.

- Hannah Choo

IT IS EASY to find oneself hypnotised as you wander through Nikka’s Yoichi Distillery. Built in 1934 with redtinted, pagoda-style rooftops on stone buildings and rows of carefully manicured greenery, it is a place that can be counted on for nostalgia, delicious whisky and a relaxing stroll through ‘Scotland’.

To put it simply, this is Masataka Taketsuru’s baby. Regarded as the ‘father of Japanese whisky’, the late Nikka founder sailed to Scotland in 1918 to earn a degree in chemistry and engineering, only to fall in love with whisky, its craft and a girl named Rita Cowan. He would apprentice at distilleries such as Longmorn and Hazelburn, and become the only Japanese to know the trade at the time. She would become his wife and play a pivotal role in supporting his vision and establishing the company. In fact, many consider Cowan to be the ‘mother of Japanese whisky’ and have founded a fan club as a tribute. If not for her encouragement, he wouldn’t have returned to Japan to pursue his passion for whisky making; if not for her constant support, Nikka probably wouldn’t exist.

Not just a father, but a leader

For a man so inspired by Scotch whisky, Yoichi was the perfect first location to begin the Nikka legacy. Rich in nature and surrounded by the sea and mountains, this area of west Hokkaido came closest to the climate Taketsuru experienced in Campbeltown, Scotland. Through the connections Cowan had teaching piano and English, investors were found and in two years, Yoichi Distillery was brought to life, fuelled by hot coal, the river and a salty sea breeze.

Decades after Taketsuru’s passing, Nikka continues to remain true to his vision. Tradition is valued as much as innovation. To this day, direct coal-fired distillation is still a practice at Yoichi, allowing for a distinctively toasty single malt that’s arguably more loyal to traditional Scotch than most modern Scottish blends.