Takesturu is a signature label in honour of Nikka Whisky’s founder Masataka Takesturu, who mastered the art of whisky-making at Longhorn distillery in Scotland, before bringing his expertise to his native Japan. As an expert blender, his successors have highlighted this skill inherited from their founder in a blended whisky made from single malts from Nikka’s two distilleries: Yoichi and Miyagikyo.
Taketsuru is made from whiskies from Yoichi, founded in 1934 to replicate the climate of Scotland, and Miyagikyo, founded in 1967 as his alternative mountain distillery.
The expression is one of five blended whiskies from Nikka. The others being The Nikka, Nikka Days, Nikka Whisky From The Barrel and Super Nikka.
Masataka Taketsuru is known as 'the father of Japanese whisky'.
History
The expression was launched in 2000 in honour of founder Masataka Taketsuru, they year that would have been his 80th wedding anniversary with his devoted wife Rita. A Scottish woman, she met Masataka in Glasgow whilst he was studying chemistry at the University of Glasgow and gaining his famed whisky-making skills. They left for Japan in 1920, and he founded Nikka with his first distillery Yoichi. Taketsuru is a celebration of blended whisky that he sought to perfect during his lifetime; it was actually after the death of Rita in 1961 that he dedicated all his energy to blends to cope with his loss. The Super Nikka is released in her honour later that year.
Taste Profile
Taketsuru is known for flavours of...
Orange
Sweet Spices
Dark Chocolate
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Nikka From The Barrel
Nikka's high proof blended whisky, made from both grain whisky and Miyagikyo and Yoichi single malts.