The Nikka Whisky Distilling Co. Ltd. (ニッカウヰスキー株式会社, Nikka Uwisukī Kabushiki-gaisha) is a producer of Japanese whisky and other beverages headquartered in Tokyo. It is owned by Asahi Group Holdings.
 | |
Native name | ニッカウヰスキー株式会社 |
|---|---|
Romanized name | Nikka Uwisukī Kabushiki Gaisha |
| Industry | Drink industry |
| Founded | 1934, Yoichi, Hokkaido, Japan |
| Founder | Masataka Taketsuru |
| Headquarters | , |
| Products | Whisky |
| Owner | Asahi Breweries |
| Website | nikka |
The company operates a number of distilleries and other facilities in Japan, including two Japanese whisky distilleries, the Yoichi distillery in Yoichi, Hokkaidō (established in 1934), and the Miyagikyo distillery in Aoba-ku, Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture, Northern Honshū (established in 1969). It also owns the Ben Nevis Distillery (acquired in 1989) in Scotland.
History
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The founder, Masataka Taketsuru, travelled to Scotland in 1918 to learn the process of distilling Scotch whisky first hand. He studied organic chemistry under Prof. T. S. Patterson[1] at the University of Glasgow and malt whisky production at the Hazelburn distillery, in Campbeltown near the Mull of Kintyre. He married Jessie Roberta "Rita" Cowan, the daughter of a Glasgow doctor, and returned with her to Japan in 1920. In 1923 he joined Kotobukiya (currently Suntory) and helped to establish a distillery before starting Nikka in 1934.[2]
After their deaths, the company was run by their adoptive son, Takeshi Taketsuru, who expanded its business substantially.
Products
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Nikka produces a wide variety of Japanese whiskies, ranging from ¥900 (per 700 ml bottle) Black Nikka sold in Japanese convenience stores, to the ¥15,750 (per 750 ml bottle) Nikka Single Cask.[3] In 2008, Yoichi 20 Year Old was voted best single malt at the World Whiskies Awards.[4]
Black Nikka is a 37% alcoholic whisky, available at corner stores throughout Japan in 180, 300, 700, 1800, 1920, 2700, and 4000 mL bottles. Individual servings, pre-mixed with soda or water, are also available.
Nikka has been owned by Asahi Group Holdings since 1954.[5]
Whiskies
edit- Yoichi Single Malt
- Miyagikyo Single Malt
- From The Barrel
- Taketsuru Pure Malt
- Taketsuru Pure Malt 17-Year
- Coffey Malt
- Coffey Grain
- Pure Malt Red
- Pure Malt Black
- Pure Malt White
- All Malt
- Blended
- Ben Nevis
Distilleries and plants
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- Yoichi distillery, Hokkaido Plant (Yoichi, Hokkaido) – malt whisky distilling, bottling
- Miyagikyo distillery, Sendai Plant (Sendai, Miyagi) – malt whisky distilling, grain whisky production, bottling
- Hirosaki Plant (Hirosaki, Aomori) – cider, brandy and wine brewing, distilling, bottling
- Tochigi Plant (Sakura, Tochigi) – grain whisky storage & ageing, re-storage of blended whisky
- Kashiwa Plant (Kashiwa, Chiba) – bottling
- Nishinomiya Plant (Nishinomiya, Hyogo) – liqueur bottling
- Moji Plant (Kitakyushu, Fukuoka) – shōchū distilling, bottling
- Ben Nevis distillery (Fort William, Scotland, UK) – Scotch whisky production
References
editNotes
edit- ^ "University of Glasgow :: Story :: Biography of Masataka Taketsuru". universitystory.gla.ac.uk. Retrieved 2019-11-07.
- ^ The Founder: Father of Japanese Whisky, Nikka distillery official website.
- ^ "洋酒ショップ - 商品詳細". Archived from the original on 2007-10-13. Retrieved 2007-07-27.
- ^ "Japanese malt scotches rivals | The Japan Times Online". search.japantimes.co.jp. Archived from the original on 2008-05-28.
- ^ "Asahi Group Holdings | Scotch Whisky". Retrieved 11 July 2019.
Bibliography
edit- Phelan, Stephen (25 January 2014). "Spirit of Romance". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 28 January 2014.
