He studied brewing at Osaka Technical Excessive Faculty, selecting up a significant on the age of twenty-two. He would go on to work at a Japanese distillery known as the Settsu Shozu Firm. He took to the job like a duck to water and was eager to be taught extra in regards to the intricacies of distilling. His want was granted a few years later when he was despatched to Scotland to be taught extra in regards to the artwork of whisky making.
Life in Scotland
In 1919, Masataka arrived in Scotland and shortly settled in to the Scottish lifestyle. He would enrol at Glasgow College, majoring in Chemistry.
Earlier than lengthy, he landed himself an apprenticeship on the Longmorn Distillery in Speyside. It was right here that he actually started to understand simply how particular Scotch will be. Just a few months later, he would as soon as once more start an apprenticeship at one other distillery, this time at James Calder the place he would be taught all about Coffey grain manufacturing. His data of Coffey stills would are available very helpful many years down the road (extra on that later).
Whereas in Scotland, he would meet Jessie Roberta (Rita) Cowan, with the 2 shortly falling in love. By the summer season of 1920 the 2 had been married, regardless of protests from each their households. I’ve stored this part temporary as a result of I’ve coated it in a earlier weblog taking a look at Rita’s life. Be happy to try that if you end right here.
Not lengthy after getting married, Masataka started working as an apprentice at Campbeltown’s Hazelburn Distillery. Right here, he would be taught all in regards to the artwork of mixing.
Because the months handed by, he soaked up whisky data like a sponge. A few years later, his time in Scotland drew to an in depth and he, alongside along with his spouse, would return to Japan…
The Start of Nikka Japanese Whisky
After returning to Japan, Masataka was eager to share his newfound whisky data along with his employers.
Initially, the Settsu Shuzo Firm despatched him to Scotland as they’d aspirations of launching their very own whisky. Whereas he was away, nonetheless, they’d clearly misplaced curiosity as a result of they determined to desert the whisky undertaking. Cash, or lack thereof, additionally probably performed a task however when doesn’t it?
Evidently, Masataka was disgruntled by this (and rightly so) and determined to go away the corporate in 1922. A yr later, he started working for Shinjiro Torii on the Kotobukiya Group (later renamed Suntory) on a 10-year contract. Right here, due to his expertise in Scotland, he would oversee the development of Japan’s first whisky distillery, which they known as Yamazaki Distillery. By 1924, the distillery was full. Japan’s first whisky was now inside attain.
Masataka and Torii had been desirous to get the distillery up and working and by 1929 ‘Shirofuda’ the world’s first genuine Japanese whisky was launched. Now, as thrilling as this was, the whisky acquired blended critiques, because it was deemed somewhat too peaty and smoky for Japanese palates.
As soon as his contract got here to an finish, Masataka determined to chase his goals of beginning his personal whisky enterprise. After phrases of encouragement from Rita, he left his place and determined to go it alone, with the purpose of constructing his very personal distillery.
In 1934, Masataka constructed his first distillery, which he named ‘Yoichi’. He selected the island of Hokkaido as he felt the local weather and environment had been similar to these discovered again within the Scottish Highlands. The cool local weather, mixed with the salty maritime air would show best for emulating the drams he’d labored with again in Scotland. It even had its personal peat bogs, which he deliberate to capitalise upon, regardless of peat being synonymous with Islay expressions relatively than Highland drams.
By now, he had been working with and round whisky for near a decade and a half. In 1934 he would begin his personal whisky firm ‘Dai Nippon Kaju Co’ which meant ‘The Nice Japanese Juice Firm’. Because the title implies, the enterprise initially produced apple juice created from native apples because the whisky distilled and matured.
1940 proved a really thrilling time for Masataka as he would launch the world’s first ‘Nikka’ whisky. In 1952, the enterprise title would formally be modified to ‘The Nikka Whisky Distilling Co’. The model shortly grew and earned a popularity for distinctive whisky.
In 1961, Masataka’s beloved spouse Rita sadly handed away aged 64. He was devastated by her demise and would throw himself into his work to assist him cope. He focussed all of his power into rising Nikka Whisky. One yr later, he launched Nikka Blended Whisky in her honour. It too was an unlimited hit.
By the Nineteen Sixties, Nikka Japanese Whisky was now a longtime model and was proving very fashionable. Masataka would make investments plenty of time, effort, and cash into rising the model. In 1966, impressed by his time at James Calder, he had Japan’s first two Coffey stills imported from Scotland.
By 1969, Nikka proved so fruitful, that Masataka would have one other distillery constructed. This one he named the ‘Miyagikyo Distillery’ which he had constructed on the attractive island of Honshu.
