b'S P I R I T SW Japanese Whisky B O N Japanese WhiskyH I S K E Y , W H I S K Y & B O U RT H E R E G I O N S T H E S T O RYO F S U N T O RYSuntory and Nikka remain the countrys largest whisky producers, with many distilleries across Japan. Suntorys Yamazaki, Hakushu and Chita distilleries and Nikkas Yoichi and Miyagikyo distilleries.Two men dominate the early years of Japanese whisky: Masataka Taketsuru and Shinjiro Torii. Taketsuru was famously sent to Scotland in 1918 to learn But in addition to these, of course, there are also a handful ofabout whisky-making.He started by studying in Glasgow and getting hands-on experience in Speyside and Campbeltown before returning to Japan with a head full of facts and a Scottish wife.smaller distilleries found in the countryWhen he joined forces with Torii in about 1921, Taketsurus vision was to build a distillery on the remote northern island of Hokkaido. Taketsuru saw this as the part of the country he thought most mirrored Scotland. However, Torii feared this was too far from the main markets of central Honshu, vetoed the idea and instead built Yamazaki on the outskirts of Kyoto in 1923. Taketsuru swallowed his reservations and worked as Yamazakis first distillery manager before leaving in 1934. To which he then struck out on YOICHI his own to finally realise his dream: the building of the Yoichi distillery on Hokkaido.Eighty years later, the companies founded by Torii and TaketsuruSuntory AKKESHI and Nikka, respectivelystill dominate the Japanese whisky industry.But, HAKUSHU unlike the twin monoliths of Scotch whisky, Diageo and Pernod Ricard, they dont have dozens of distilleries, but only several between them. MARS SHINSHU In 1923, Shinjiro Torii envisioned a whisky filled with the essence of Japanese nature and hand-crafted by artisans through a patient process of WAKATSURU SABUROMARU YUZA enhancing the work of mother nature. He dreamt of creating subtle, refined, yet sophisticated whisky that would suit the delicate palate of the Japanese MIYAGIKYO and enhance their dining experience.WHITE OAKASAKA Though initially inspired by traditional Scottish whisky, Torii envisioned a KIUCHI SHUZO NUKADA Japanese approach by choosing a terrain and climate completely different OKAYAMA CHICHIBU from those of Scotland. Torii chose the region of Yamazaki, on the outskirts KANOSUKE MATSUDO of Kyoto as the birthplace of Japanese whisky.TO K YOKAGOSHIMA FUJI GOTEMBAMARSCHITATSUNUKIYAMAZAKI162 INN EXPRESS - DRINKS PORTFOLIO 2019|20 - WHISKEY, WHISKY & BOURBON162'