Nikka Whisky’s Takeshi Taketsura Dies

By Richard Thomas

Takashi Taketsuru, adopted son and blood nephew of Nikka Whisky founder Masataka Taketsura and a Japanese whisky pioneer in his own right, died on December 17. He was 90 years old.

Born in Fukuyama, Japan in 1924, Taketsura was adopted by his uncle Masataka and his Scottish wife in the wake of the atomic bombing of neighboring Hiroshima. Virtually his entire working life was spent at Nikka Whisky, and Taketsura was instrumental in the expansion and development of the Japanese whisky distillery.

As master distiller at Nikka, it was Takeshi who insisted on continuing to use the distillery’s antique and idiosyncratic coal-burning still heating units. Under his leadership, the Japanese distillery’s sales surged, and in 2001 a Nikka whisky became the first non-Scotch to be named “Best of the Best” by Whisky magazine.

Takeshi Taketsuru is survived by his son Kotaro and daughter Minobu.