Metabev adds Nikka Japanese whisky to portfolio

Metabev has announced a partnership with Nikka Whisky, bringing the Japanese brand to Hong Kong and Macau.

Hong Kong-based importer and distributor Metabev has joined forces with whisky brand Nikka, adding its products to its portfolio.

Masataka Taketsuru founded Nikka Whisky following a trip to Scotland to learn about whisky making as far back as 1918. While in Scotland, he enrolled at the University of Glasgow, took chemistry courses and then apprenticed at three Scotch distilleries. Taketsuru returned to Japan, newly married to a Scottish woman named Jessie Roberta (Rita), in 1920. It wasn’t for another 20 years, having built Yamazaki Distillery, the first whisky distillery in Japan, that Taketsuru created the first iteration of Nikka.

Since its founding, Nikka has become Japan’s second largest distiller, producing a large range of single malts and blended whiskies between its two distilleries.

Its original distillery, Yoichi, is on Japan’s northern island, close to the sea, surrounded by mountains on three sides. The site was built in 1934 and still produces whiskies for the brand today.

Miyagikyo is Nikka’s second distillery, built in 1967, is located in a foggy glen surrounded by mountains and at a junction of two clean rivers.

Roger Chan, Chairman, of Metagroup, commented: “The Metabev team is truly excited and looks forward to a successful, long-term partnership with Nikka Whisky. As their exclusive partner for Hong Kong and Macau, this furthers our aim of being able to offer our customers the very finest selection of whiskies available. We know that Nikka have the most stringent criteria when selecting brand partners and are honoured to be trusted by the Nikka team with their incredible brand and whiskies.”