Monday, January 05, 2015

JAPANESE WHISKY PIONEER TAKESHI TAKETSURU DIES AGED 90

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

Following the atomic bomb hit on Hiroshima in 1945, which was situated near to his home town of Fukuyama, Takeshi moved to Yoichi where he lived with and was adopted by his uncle Masataka and his wife Rita.

Takeshi Taketsuru 1924 - 2014

After graduating from college in 1949, Takeshi joined the family Nikka Whisky business, where he then worked for most of his life. He eventually became Nikka’s Master Blender and was named Company President in 1985. After the business was acquired by Asahi in 2001, he stayed on as a key advisor right up until his death.

Takeshi’s pioneering role at Nikka, lead to a momentous growth of Japanese whisky across the world.

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

Posted by: Steve Rush