Nikka Whisky pioneer Takeshi Taketsuru dies

Japanese whisky pioneer Takeshi Taketsuru, son of Nikka Whisky founder Masataka Taketsuru, has died at the age of 90.

Takeshi Taketsuru, former president of Nikka Whisky, has died at the age of 90

Taketsuru was adopted by his uncle Masataka and his Scottish wife Rita after an atomic bomb hit Hiroshima, situated near to his home town of Fukuyama, during the Second World War. He then worked for most of his life at Nikka Whisky Distilling, which he expanded substantially following the deaths of his adoptive parents.

His pioneering role in the Japanese whisky sector has helped lead to its momentous growth across the world.

Taketsuru’s adoptive father is largely thought of as the father of Japan’s whisky industry. He travelled to Scotland to study Scotch whisky distillation methods, where he met his future wife Rita Cowan, who is also credited with pioneering the whisky industry in Japan.

Masataka Taketsuru helped establish a whisky distillery with Kotobukiya, which would later become Suntory, then went on to found his own distilling company, Dai Nippon Kaju K.K. (later renamed Nikka), in 1934.

Takeshi Taketsuru became master blender at Nikka and endeavoured to maintain traditional techniques. He was appointed president in 1985 and remained advisor to the company until his death.

Due to the boom in demand for Japanese whisky around the world, the Financial Times reports that Nikka’s forecast sales for 2014 have increased to 100,000 cases, from 1,800 in 2006.

Born in 1924, Takeshi Taketsuru died in 17 December 2014. He is survived by his son Kotaro and daughter Minobu.

Just last month, it was revealed that a new television series charting the lives of Masataka Taketsuru and Rita Cowan had boosted the sales of Nikka Whisky in its domestic market.