Nikka Coffey Grain Whisky

Nikka Whisky Distilling Co. was founded by Masataka Taketsuru who was born into a sake brewing family. In 1918, after his studies in Japan, he went off to study whisky production in Scotland. He would end up working at Longmorn and Hazelburn, malt whisky producers. He would also spend time learning the craft of grain whisky production on the Coffey still, a version of the column still. He would return to Japan a few years later with a Scottish bride and worked for Suntory was building Yamazaki Distillery in 1923. He would leave them and build Yoichi in 1936 and then later on in the late 1969s, Miyagikyo Distillery would open. The first Nikka Whisky was launched in the 1940s.