Let's join hands with our colleagues in the industry!Jota Tanaka talks about "Fellow Distillers".
＜Part 1＞

Japanese whisky continues to attract attention from around the world.What kind of future do people in the whisky industry envision for the further development of the scene?Special interview with Jota Tanaka, Master Blender at Kirin!

writer：Ryoko Kuraishi

With Jimmy Russell, the 'legendary master distiller' at the Wild Turkey Distillery.

Kirin Distillery Master Blender Jota Tanaka is one of Japan's leading blenders, having been named the World's Best Master Blender at the Icons of Whisky Awards, a whisky industry award.


Fuji Gotemba Distillery Single Grain Whisky AGED 25 YEARS SMALL BATCH, which Mr Tanaka was involved in the development of, has won the World's Best Grain Whisky at the World Whisky Awards since 2016three times.


Mr Tanaka advocates the concept of 'fellow distillers'.
The idea is that distillers are not rivals, but fellow distillers who are engaged in the production of high-quality whisky with the same sense of purpose, and who work hand in hand to develop the industry together.

A scene from last year's Tokyo International Bar Show.Many whisky fans visited the booth and enjoyed tastings.

"A living legend", Jimmy Russell taught us.

This is a philosophy that has lived on in the whisky industry for many years.
'This mindset is embodied by Wild Turkey's legendary Master Distiller, Jimmy Russell.


It was about 17 years ago when I was working at the Four Roses distillery.
We had a booth at an event tasting, and at the time, Fore Roses, which wasn't that famous in the US, didn't attract many people.


Suddenly, a number of people started to visit our booth, which was deserted.
When asked, he said he had been introduced to Jimmy.


I thanked him and said, 'We are friends, we should all grow together.We should not fight over a slice of pizza, but make it bigger and share it with others, so that we can all be happy.
I was touched by the essence of the Fellow Distillers philosophy, and I still vividly remember being greatly impressed."

In order to obtain a more mash-free raw distillate, the Fuji Gotemba distillery uses the Heart of Hearts distillation process.

In fact, in the world of Western liquor, particularly whisky and wine, in which Mr Tanaka has been involved, there is open exchange between producers.


'Not only are there technical and personal exchanges, but there is also an active exchange of information on raw material blending and new technologies.
Underlying this is the confidence and pride of the distiller as a manufacturer backed by history and tradition, and the Fellow Distillers philosophy."


Although not widely known, in Japan, regardless of the size of the distillery or the region, there are exchanges between distillers in the whisky industry.Although it is not well-known, exchanges between people in the whisky industry also take place in Japan, regardless of the size of the distillery or the region.
Mr Tanaka feels that Fellow Distillers are fostered here too, as they meet various makers and gain new inspiration.

Fuji Gotemba Distillery's brewing water is subsoil water from Mt.Fuji. It is natural water suitable for whisky making.

What creators need to protect Japanese whisky.

At the same time, the Japanese whisky industry is facing a new challenge in the wake of the global craft boom.
Whiskies with unprecedented ideas and production methods are appearing, and some products that are only bottled in Japan are even being labelled as "Japanese whisky".


The definition of whisky has been the subject of renewed debate in many parts of the world, but there is no strict definition of Japanese whisky, and there are some products abroad that could damage the trust that Japanese whisky has built up,Some products are being sold overseas, which could damage the trust that Japanese whisky has built up.


New distillers are entering the market one after another, helping to revitalise the industry, but there are some newcomers who do not even have the minimum knowledge or experience of distilling, or who only want to make a profit because 'whisky looks profitable', and I am concerned about this.I am concerned about this.


I don't want to tie them up tight, but looking at these situations, I feel that some lines need to be drawn for healthy development."

When exhibiting at events, barrels are brought out from the distillery and the brewery's original sake is served.

For example, I often hear people say that they want to make whisky because the water is clean, but in Japan you can get good water anywhere.
I think it is a bit too short-sighted to make whisky only because of the water.
Whisky making is not that simple.
What are the thoughts, aspirations and vision behind the whisky in the first place?


Whisky production takes a lot of time and effort, so it is easy for the whisky maker's thoughts to be reflected in the whisky.
I think people enjoy whisky while empathising with the dreams, stories and 'feelings' of the whisky makers.


In the face of these challenges, what can be done to maintain trust in Japanese whisky?How can we maintain the trust in Japanese whisky in the face of these challenges?
In the second part, we will introduce Mr Tanaka's vision and the future of whisky as he envisions it.


Continued in Part 2.