He resigned his position with Settsu Shuzo in 1922. Unlike the rest of the Taketsuru series, this is the only one that is not a pure malt. Sushi ginger, sandalwood, spicy caramel, stewed and buttered tropical fruits like passion fruit (hints of them, not in your face), and pine/concentrated wood. [1] Masataka Taketsuru, The Father of Japanese Whiskey And His Two Loves Whiskey first became widely available in Japan (least amongst the wealthy) in the 19th century, mostly in and after the 1870s, although it seems to have been introduced in the 1850s. Nikka Taketsuru NAS. Directed to build Yamazaki Distillery, the first whisky distillery in Japan, and engaged in whisky production. Quick view. In July of the same year, Taketsuru undertook the long journey by ship from Koba, first across the Pacific to the USA and then on to the promised land of whisky. There he led the project and devoted himself to producing Japans first genuine whisky. Taketsuru came from a family who had a sake brewery for Japanese alcoholic beverages. In 1923 a year after leaving Settsu Shuzo, Taketsurus whisky making career actually started with a 10-year contract at Kotobukiya Limited, the company of Shinjir Torii later to become Suntory. Want the latest news, promotions, & discounts? Masataka Taketsuru was known as the Father of Japanese Whisky and studied the intricate whisky-making process in Scotland. Ichiro Akuto, along with the help of another brewery and lesser known whisky company, was able to rescue the remaining stock of Hanyu Distillery and established Venture Whisky Ltd. in 2004. Hakushu. But it may be of comfort to think you can buy the Yamazaki here for the same price as at the airport in Tokyo The Anglophobe, 24 October 2011 Softer and more subdued than the 17 year. During his first stop on the west coast of America, Taketsuru visited several wineries in the San Francisco area. There he founded the eponymous distillery. The land of the rising sun has an almost century-long whisky tradition which was begun by the founder of the Nikka Whisky company, Masataka Taketsuru, in 1920. Whisky started being produced in Japan around 1870, but commercial production only began in 1923 when the first distillery, Yamazaki, was opened. Grouped by Not grouped. I LOVE fruity and tropical whiskies, so yeah this is right up my alley. from whisky lovers everywhere. Fantastic! However, these rarely show up at auction and I actually have never seen one in Japan at a bar, so my guess is most were consumed (yay!). It was launched in Japan only in the year 2012, in very limited quantities. Hibiki, Yamazaki and other premium Japanese whisky brands are in high demand at duty-free stores in Narita Airport. Buy now $689.94 (599.95) The age statement on a bottle of Japanese Whisky indicates the number of years the youngest whisky in the bottle has spent maturing in oak casks. Some distilleries closed in the early 2000s due to business and financial difficulties, but some of the bottles produced in these distilleries are still available today. Blended malt. Moreover, it is mostly aged in ex-Bourbon barrels, with some Yamazaki Spanish oak-aged stock in there too. Shinjir Torii ( ) - Japanese whisky pioneer. Drink them how you like them, but note that the Japanese typically add a dash (or a lot) of water. She lived in Glasgow during her youth, where she met her husband Masataka Taketsuru. Some distilleries closed in the early 2000s due to business and financial difficulties, but some of the bottles produced in these distilleries are still available today. In spite of this Japanese whiskiess didnt really become internationally recognized or exported in significant quantities until the 2000s, when they started winning international awards accolades. Of course, as you can see by the scores, this can go either way - so go find these and try a head to head yourself! The first name for the company was Dai Nippon Kaju meaning the Great Japanese Juice Company. In his spare time, he had been working on a Japanese translation of J.A. Yamazaki's use of the still is thought to give them a particular purity that other Japanese maltsters lack, and it can be "seen" in this whisky. Since then, it has acquired something of a cult following, and for good reason! They are four Suntory: Yamazaki 12 years old, Yamazaki 18 years old, Hakushu 12 years old and Hibiki 17 years old ( By the way, any idea from whom does Suntory get grain whisky? ) Its not possible to tell the story of Japanese whisky without two names, Shinjir Torii the entrepreneur determined to establish a domestic whisky industry, and Masataka Taketsuru who dreamed of making authentic whisky of the Scottish style. It had been over 3 years since Taketsuru had last been there. Find more about the demand of Japanese whisky and the shortage that is supposed to last 10 years in this. Taketsuru and Torii had a history before these two companies were born. ", *For transparency, I first took notes by myself with no input, and then referenced both Serge's notes on Whiskyfun and Stefan's notes in Whisky Rising and incorporated things I agreed with into my own notes*, 2020by the Half Dram - the Best Way to Order Whisky. sales tax 700ml Nikka Pure Malt 17 Year Old Whisky , Japanese , 700 mL, 43% ABV Toast Wines By Taste CT: Hartford Free shipping in West Hartford area. Taketsuru Pure Malt N/A 70cl / 43%. 1934 Left Kotobukiya in March. The breakthrough would eventually come with a non-peated whisky the Kakubin, at Suntory this success is attributed to Torij, at Nikka this is unsurprisingly contested. The two notebooks filled with every detail later became Japans very first guide in whisky production. . Well, we did the grunt work for you, tasting five of Japan's finest 12-year-old whiskies: Yamazaki, Hakushu, Nikka Taketsuru, Nikka Miyagikyo and Hibiki. Obituaries Obituary: Takeshi Taketsuru, whisky distiller Born: 6 March, 1924 in Fukuyama, Japan. USD72.99. (Photo by Ken Kobayashi) WATARU SUZUKI, Nikkei staff writer May 5, 2018 15:06 JST. In 1959, Takesure created the Nishinomiya grain distillery. Crafted from 100% barley, Yamazaki 12 Year Single Malt Whisky is sold in 35 different countries. The Yamazaki Distillery, built to Taketsuru's specification, was opened in 1923. Nikka Whisky. In 1895, Masataka Taketsuru, "the father of Japanese Whisky," was born in the small town of Takehara, Japan. We tasted Nikka Taketsuru 12 Year at Meeting No. In 1970, Suntory revolutionized how the Japanese food and drinking culture by creating the Mizuwari, a water-and-whisky drink that was easy to drink and enjoy with Japanese cuisine. Taketsuru, Rita, and Abe crossed America one year after Prohibition began. Honey on creamy vanilla bean yogurt, both green and purple grapes. You can read more about Japanese whisky history in our blog post: Your email address will not be published. 1934 Styles of whisky [ edit] Single malt yamazaki aged 12 years There are three primary variants of Yamazaki whisky: Yamazaki Single Malt 12-Year-Old whisky Not only did Taketsuru know which ingredients, tools, and temperatures to use, but he also shared Torii's passion for creating authentic Japanese whisky. In 1936 the first pot still designed by Masataka and made in Japan was installed and started distillation. Must-have Yamazaki whiskies Image credit: Suntory Japanese whisky is rare because there is a global demand for this product while its distillation is limited. Being heavily peated in the style mastered by Taketsuru in Scotland it was not well recieved. The idea was to finally build up his own malt whisky distillery, according to his wishes and in the traditional Scottish model. Since theyre incredibly rare, you can find some of these bottles here at dekant in our. [2] On 8 January 1920, he married Jessie Roberta "Rita" Cowan of Middlecroft, Kirkintilloch, despite opposition from both their families. Nikka Taketsuru 12 Year ranks 12th overall in Japanese Whisky. Recently, Japanese whisky has gained global recognition with countless international awards, including Best Whisky in the World by the Whisky Bible, and has been in high demand from whisky lovers everywhere. Masataka was hired by Kotobukiya in 1923 to direct building the Yamazaki Distillery. Shinjiro Torii was the founder of Suntory, known as Kotobukiya back then, and built Yamazaki in 1923. Follow along as we profile each one below. Not much more to say for now, we'll have to wait for more information to appear. Taketsuru resigned and the family moved to the far north of the country, to the island of Hokkaido. Masataka Taketsuru ( , Taketsuru Masataka, 18941979) was a Japanese chemist and businessman. The two had married earlier that year and Rita decided to immigrate to Japan to support her husbands dream. The history of Japanese whisky is shrouded in mystery, since very little is recorded in whisky making before the famed establishment of Suntorys Yamazaki Distillery in the early 20th century. It took nearly six years for the distillery to produce the first authentic Japanese whisky. The most recent announcement came last week, when Taketsuru Pure Malts (a Nikka label) revealed they'll soon be shelving their . Yamazaki Distillery was the first of the Japanese distillers to start utilising the Coffey still, which was purchased from the Irish Distillers Corporation and shipped to Japan in 1968. This is just so concentrated on herbaceous notes and tannic tree oil notes. The Highball drink, a simple mixture of Japanese whisky and soda, has become a staple to drink with Japanese dishes. In more recent years, the Japanese whisky business has boomed and become even more popular within Japan and out of the country. Unfortunately, the Toa company that owned Hanyu Distillery declared bankruptcy and had to shut down the distillery in 2000. Masataka Taketsuru and his Scottish wife Rita. Aged for 21 years, the whisky has lush notes of tropical fruits, roasted nuts and mocha that are complemented by a sweet, malty undertone. Please leave this site if you are under 18 years of age. He was sent to the UK in 1918 to learn as much as he could about the Scottish whisky industry. At the time, Masataka's family owned a sake brewery, and in preparing to carry on the family trade, Masataka studied chemistry and biology at Osaka Technical High School. Instead - he went to the city to study. Then it continues with floral notes (Jasmine), burnt sugar, more pine, dates and jujube. A young Taketsuru, preparing for his voyage to Scotland. The 10-year contract with The Yamazaki Distillery came to an end with Shinjir Torii and Takezuru no longer really understanding each other. Nettleton's "The Manufacture of Spirit as Conducted in the Distilleries of the . Died: 17 December, 2014, in Tokyo After consultation and discussions with his wife Rita, the matter was decided. These relative scores track very well with my experience. Signup for our FREE newsletter. The #Yamazaki 1984 is more rare than the Taketsuru 35, but still not as rare as a single cask or other limited Suntory release, as there were 3000 total bottles. Again very creamy and the tropical notes pop out the most to me. These are 1 bottle of Yamazaki 12 700 ml and 2 bottles of Nikka Taketsuru 700 ml. Torii and Taketsuru zeroed in on a distillery in the Yamazaki province to set up a brand new distillery, which began operations in November 1924. Ichiro Akuto, along with the help of another brewery and lesser known whisky company, was able to rescue the remaining stock of Hanyu Distillery and established, One of the most famous whisky collections from Hanyu is the Playing Card Series, featuring 54 bottles that represent each card in a deck of cards. Yamazaki 2000/2010 'Owner's Cask' (ABV to come, OB, for Bar Cafe Ciroru Tokyo Namubukuro, barrel, cask #EU 70121) - 240315 Yamazaki 2003/2014 (55%, OB, for the Whisky Shop, Spanish oak bota corta, cask #ADDY3038) - 240516 This relationship serving as the basis of the TV drama Massan. But they are well worth trying, so if you see them at a bar and the price isn't too bad, I highly recommend having a half dram One important note on the Taketsuru - first whisky my wife has outright said "it's so yummy. After his ten year contract with Kotobukiya, Masataka decided to become independent to make his own ideal whisky. Taste. Your email address will not be published. Yamazaki 12-Year-Old Japanese whisky. In 1992 Suntory added the 18-Year-old, a Ten-Year-Old in 1995, and subsequently its 25-Year-Old. USD87.59. The #Taketsuru 35 is not particularly rare, as there were 10,800 total bottles released over almost a decade, with the quantity released per year varying between 700-1200 bottles. He is known as the founder of Japan's whisky industry and Nikka Whisky Distilling. This 12 year old first came onto the market in 1984 and was the first seriously marketed Japanese single malt whisky. During this time the distillery turned into a temporary producer of apple-based juices and liqueurs in order to pay the workers and cover production costs. Masataka on the other hand was born in the coastal town of Takehara about 60 kilometres south of Hiroshima. However, Shinjiro Torii wanted to create a whisky that suited the Japanese peoples preferences and moved forward with the establishment of Yamazaki Distillery, despite the opposition he received from his business partners. The grain is a Coffey Grain from Nishinomiya. No RRP in the UK nor Europe yet and in France it will be released on the 1st of October. In general, 1984 was a fantastic year for Yamazaki blends/single casks. Born to a family that had owned a sake brewery since 1733, he traveled to Scotland in 1918 to study organic chemistry and distilling. It is one of two Nikka whiskeys widely available stateside via Anchor Distilling Company. One of the most famous whisky collections from Hanyu is the Playing Card Series, featuring 54 bottles that represent each card in a deck of cards. Just two years later, in 1918, Taketsuru received the assignment from his employer to take a trip to Scotland. Seeing this, Torrri immediately hired him for work in his newly founded distillery in Yamazaki. Masataka Taketsuru came to Scotland to learn the art of whisky . Whiskey distilling in Japan did not get going until the 20th century though. And just last year, the Hakushu 12 was released in the United States, but I have yet to find it on the shelves at our local spirit shops. Blog . www.thewhiskyexchange.com. Today, Suntory and Nikka are two of the top award-winning Japanese whisky distilleries and have been recognized around the world for their exquisite drams. NOSE Fruit, malt, graham, butterscotch, nuts and and herbal nature. 5-2-1 Yamazaki, Shimamoto-cho, Mishima-gun, Osaka: Operating hours: 10:00 - 16:45(Last entry at 16:30) Closed: Over the New Year's holiday and during distillery shutdowns (some of which are not scheduled in advance) Yamazaki. The Taketsuru family were sake makers whith a business dating back to around 1733. Amazing nose, I could smell it for days and days! Not a chance - these are currently priced to just be oogled on a shelf. The elder Taketsuru had helped to found the Yamazaki distillery shortly after his return from Scotland 95 years ago. By then, Taketsuru had already learned English and immersed himself in as much Western liquid culture as he could get his hands on. You can read more about this series of whisky bottles here: Ichiros Malt Card Series A Collectors Dream, In more recent years, the Japanese whisky business has boomed and become even more popular within Japan and out of the country. Then some Japanese packaged pancakes with butter and maple syrup inside (the ones from 7-eleven! Taketsuru 17yo: 8.82 0.29 on 10 reviews. Copyright ASAHI BREWERIES,LTD. Given the chance to go to Scotland, Masataka became the first Japanese ever to master how to make whisky. Nikka whisky was first sold in October 1940. Awards. His family owned a sake brewery and had been in the . Taketsuru and Torii had a history before these two companies were born. ADD CART. In July his second stop was James Calders Boness Distillery (sadly closed forever in 1925), which produces grain whiskey. The young and passionate man was fortunate to learn first-hand from craftsmen and have practical trainings to master blending. Unique in the world, a distillery located in the forest. The second whisky released from Suntory was the Suntory Kakubin, which became a hit and continues to be Japans #1 best-selling whisky. Looks like it is a promising evening ahead. With Suntorys Yamazaki 2013 Sherry Cask named the 2015 winner of the Best Whisky in the World title from the Whisky Bible, Japanese whisky has become world-renowned and in high demand. There was much value in the remaining unique and exquisite whisky bottles from Hanyu Distillery. Nikka Taketsuru Pure Malt Featured at World Whisky Day 2018: Masataka Taketsuru founded Nikka Whisky in 1934, fifteen years after traveling to Scotland to learn about whisky production. The Taketsuru range is labeled as "pure malts", of which Nikka's two malt whisky distilleries, Yoichi produces rich, peaty and masculine malt and Miyagikyo soft and feminine mixed on the whisky giving . Although finally producing whisky it would be fair to say the relationship between the two men was at times fraught during this time. A very appealing whisky but lacking the elemental force of its younger brother. Unfortunately, the Toa company that owned Hanyu Distillery declared bankruptcy and had to shut down the distillery in 2000. Very concentrated tree oils, also hints of green apple and pear. Taketsuru 12 Review ABV: 40% Price: $60 Distiller: Yoichi and Miyagikyo EYE Medium caramel NOSE Malt and a marmalade like sweetness rise up first followed by banana fruit leather, caramel and dried orchard fruits. You can read more about Japanese whisky history in our blog post: A Short History of Japanese Whisky. [3], "For first time, NHK seeks Caucasian actress to star in morning drama", Japanese Whisky History (1854-1918) - The Jurassic Period to 1980s, Masataka Taketsuru's entry in the University of Glasgow matriculation book in 1919, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Masataka_Taketsuru&oldid=1117530250, This page was last edited on 22 October 2022, at 06:31. Because of this TV drama, Yamazaki whiskey has suddenly become popular in Japan. Read about Suntorys Best Whisky in the World and how the Yamazaki whisky has broken the record for highest bid in auction history. None. Nikka. The Nikka story begins with a key figure in Japanese whisky history: Masataka Taketsuru. The brand name of this whisky was NIKKA WHISKY, short for "Nippon Kaju", which later became the name of the company itself. [3], After returning to Japan, Taketsuru worked at Kotobukiya, which would later become Suntory, where he helped establish a whisky distillery just outside of Kyoto. The start is full-bodied and surprisingly intense ("only" 43% alcohol content). The Taketsuru 21 didn't wow me like I thought it might, but it's still a decent dram. [1] Taketsuru studied under Thomas Stewart Patterson, the Gardiner Chair of Chemistry. Taketsuru died in 1979. Masataka was expected to join the company and learn the family trade. Contact us. Being the only Japanese who knew how to produce whisky at that time, Masataka was hired by Kotobukiya in 1923 to direct building the Yamazaki Distillery. In light of this crazy year, I felt it would be a good idea to give them a try and see if the hype is real! Taketsuru 21 Year Old Pure Malt Whisky is a blend of single malt whiskies produced at the Yoichi and Miyagikyo distilleries. Masataka continued to strive for quality with stubbornness and perseverance, refining his methods even if he failed to sell the production. $90.94 (69.95) Buy now. Ultimately this fraught partnership ended and Masataka Taketsuru would go on to found Nikka supported by his Scottish wife Rita. Taketsuru's wife, Rita, died in January 1961, of liver disease. . At the beginning of the 20th century the two worked together to found the first of the largest and most famous distilleries in Japan today, Suntory. Nose: Strong floral aromas, tropical fruits, vanilla scents, peaty. Shop Now.. Instead - he went to the city to study. We rated it very highly at 3.23 out of 5. Although the location didn't have a coastal climate, as most distilleries had in Scotland . The Boutique-y Whisky Company The Lost Bottlings Series Elements of Islay. The change in the quality of Japanese whisky acts as a mirror of the wider Japanese industry as a whole, the postwar period saw production move from cheap poor quality, to first-class quality, and on to world-class quality within a few decades. Yamazaki finds its footing All rights reserved. Would I buy at today's prices for either of these? Departing from San Francisco, the group arrived in Yokohama in November 1921. Discover Yamazaki 18 Year Old Single Malt Whisky 750mL 86 (43% ABV) Aged for . 1916 . Of course, things don't always go as planned! Experiences in Scotland [ edit] In December 1918, he arrived in Scotland and enrolled at the University of Glasgow, where he studied organic chemistry in the summer of 1919. Water added brings out fruit and flowers. Tasting notes, ratings, and information on Nikka Taketsuru 12 Year. He took his knowledge and his Scottish wife, Rita, back to Japan and established one of the most popular Japanese Whisky companies: Nikka Whisky. To spread the knowledge and passion for Japanese whisky, Suntory opened whisky bars around the country in 1955. Another trivial, origin of the name of the company Suntory. There he led the project and devoted himself to producing Japan's first genuine whisky. By April, the practice begins with learning how to make malt whiskey. According to them, the post-war Japanese population was too poor to afford good whiskey. Back in Japan - married and full of enthusiasm to implement the whisky knowledge he had gained with Kihei Abe and Settsu Shuzo. In 2003, the 12-Year-Old became the first Japanese whisky to win gold at the International . Nikka Taketsuru 12 Years is bottled at 40% ABV and can be found online for about $70, making it an accessible splurge for something you can count on to truly impress. A true visionary and pioneer of the whisky industry in Japan, he learned his trade working in Scottish whisky . The Yamazaki Distillery is owned by Suntory one of the leading producers of Japanese whisky, and like fellow giants Nikka and Kirin, one that has been forced to discontinue some of its most popular aged products. Not as sweet as the nose/palate, but balances out the whisky. Size: 70cl ABV: 43.00%. It was the beginning of a long journey that was to end with Rita becoming known as the mother of Japanese whisky. Initially, they lived in Campbeltown and his last apprenticeship began in May 1920 at Hazelburn distillery (purchased in 1920 by Mackie & Co., then owners of Springbank) before moving to Japan later in November 1920 via New York and Seattle. Taketsurus third stop was the Kintyre Peninsula, where his next employer, the Hazelburn Distillery in the small town of Campbeltown, was waiting for him. Finally in 1940 the first whisky from Nikka was launched. Then a couple years ago, the Hibiki 12 found it's way to our area. Yamazaki is Suntory's flagship single malt whisky, from Japan's first and oldest malt distillery. For example, in 2003, Suntorys Yamazaki 12 Year Old won the Gold Award at the International Spirits Challenge in the UK. Taketsuru Pure Malt is named in honor of Masataka Taketsuru, the father of Japanese whisky, and like the former age-stated version, it is made from a combination of whisky from both of Nikka's distilleries: Yoichi and Miyagikyo. Yamazaki 12 Years . Cask Type: Various (Mizunara, European, and American Oak), # bottles: 2500 Japan + 500 rest of world, Auction price at time of writing: ~$13,000 in Oct 2020. Nikka Taketsuru Pure Malt NAS (Fall 2020 new release) As its older sister, this new Taketsuru is bottled at 43%, unchill-filtered but coloured.
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