Japanese Whisky

Japanese whisky has gained a devoted global following, with its popularity soaring over the past two decades - though its roots run much deeper than many realize. Often compared to Scotch, Japanese whisky owes much of its early development to Masataka Taketsuru, who studied whisky-making in Scotland before returning to Japan with a vision.

In 1923, Taketsuru partnered with Shinjiro Torii to establish Japan’s first whisky distillery, Yamazaki, just outside Kyoto. Torii founded the company (Suntory), while Taketsuru served as the first distillery manager. Nine years later, Taketsuru moved north to Hokkaido to build the Yoichi distillery and later founded Nikka.

Today, Suntory and Nikka remain the leading names in Japanese whisky. While Scotch provided the blueprint, Japan’s distinct regional character and innovative spirit have shaped a whisky tradition that is entirely its own.