NIKKA, A STORY OF LOVE AND PASSION
As Valentine’s Day approaches, Nikka Whisky looks back on the love story that shaped the iconic Japanese house, that of Rita and Masataka Taketsuru.
Known as the ” father of Japanese whisky “, Masataka Taketsuru, the founder of Nikka Whisky, defined the history of whisky in Japan, thanks in no small part to the support and love of his Scottish wife, Rita.
In 1918, the young Masataka Taketsuru, son of a family of sake producers, travels to Scotland on behalf of the Settsu Shuzo company, whose project is to produce the first Japanese whisky. There, he discovered the secrets of making the finest whiskies in prestigious distilleries. These experiences would fuel his dream of creating an authentic whisky in his homeland. During his stay, Masataka also met and fell madly in love with a Scottish girl: Jessie Roberta Cowan, nicknamed “Rita”. Falling madly in love with each other, and against the wishes of their families, they married in Glasgow on January 8, 1920.
Two years later, the couple decided to fulfill their dream and moved back to the land of the rising sun, where they could live out their passion: producing whisky. A new life and new projects lead Masataka to join the Kotobukiya group, later renamed Suntory, for whom he manages the construction of Japan’s first whisky distillery, Yamazaki. Rita, on the other hand, is a modern, determined English teacher who does her best to adapt to a culture very different from her own. She watches over her husband’s success, encouraging him to realize his dream of building his own distillery on the island of Hokkaido.
Just as Masataka was realizing his dream, Rita fell ill and died in 1961, aged 64. Devastated, he devoted all his energy to perfecting his blends and, in honor of his wife, created Super Nikka: a harmonious, subtle blended whisky.
To this day, the couple’s story remains emblematic in Japan. “Massan”, a widely watched national TV series in 2014, tells the story of Rita’s life in Japan. SUPER NIKKA
Profile
Woody and delicate.
Woody, fruity, floral (marshmallow), aniseed, fresh.
Enjoy
neat, on the rocks, as a mizuwari or a highball.
Alc. 43%, vol. 70cl
Super Nikka is available for €50 from La Maison du Whisky boutiques and on Whisky.fr
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