The NHK TV drama series "Massan" aired from 2014 to 2015 and was a huge hit. The model for this protagonist is my grandfather, Masataka Taketsuru, who is known as the father of Japanese whisky, and the founder of Nikka whisky. ``Massan'' also tells stories about my grandparents' early days that I didn't know about, and I used the broadcast of ``Massan'' as an opportunity to look back on the history of the Taketsuru family and my grandfather's life.

I was born in Yoichi, Hokkaido, as the first grandchild of Masataka Taketsuru and Rita, and was raised surrounded by rich nature, receiving a lot of love from my parents and grandparents. My grandmother Rita passed away when I was 8 years old, and I lived under the same roof as her grandfather until I moved to Tokyo when I was 15.

My grandfather had a loud voice and was a cheerful person who often laughed. His grandfather's voice echoed everywhere, so his presence always stood out, and above all, he was a dandy man surrounded by a unique aura.

My grandfather taught me that by having something to compare with, you can understand the real thing.

At my house in Yoichi, my grandfather suddenly asked me, ``Kotaro, what do you think luxury is?'' As a child, I didn't understand the purpose of the question, so I fell silent, but then he said, ``That's why you're here,'' which confused me even more.

Yoichi's house was on a 3,000-tsubo lot surrounded by apple orchards. The grounds included grape, nectarine, peach, and currant trees, as well as a large field where seasonal vegetables such as cucumbers, eggplants, tomatoes, cabbage, radishes, and corn could be harvested. ``Crops are seeds that are scattered in the soil, absorb nutrients from the soil, grow into larger fruits, and then ripen.It's great to be in an environment like this where you can eat the fruits and vegetables with morning dew on them. "It's a luxury," my grandfather said, explaining how fresh food was a luxury.

My grandfather, who was very particular about food, generously fed my family delicious food, and I am now grateful to him for teaching me the true taste of food.

Grandfather speaks. “In order to create whiskey that pleases people,
It is important for the people involved in this to eat delicious food and enjoy life."

My grandfather also gave me a special education regarding alcohol. ``You can tell 70 to 80 percent of the quality of whiskey by its aroma,'' my grandfather said, and when I was a child he would often smell the whiskey he poured into a glass and talk to me about it.

My grandfather may have intended to teach his grandson the imperial studies, but now that I'm an adult, I no longer feel like drinking alcohol myself, although I can tell the difference in the aroma. I must have smelled a lot of alcohol when I was a child, and my brain may have mistakenly believed that I had drunk a lifetime's worth of alcohol.

My grandfather, who was an unparalleled whiskey lover, had his own way of enjoying whiskey. ``To enjoy the whiskey itself, it's best to drink it straight or on the rocks that isn't too chilled.However, if you drink it every day, it's best to mix it with water to avoid damaging the stomach lining.''
In fact, after dinner, my grandfather often drank a mixture of one part whiskey and two parts water in his favorite eight-ounce tumbler that held three or four ice cubes. The image of him lovingly enjoying his whiskey is still etched in my mind.

The way he stands by his beliefs without flinching even in difficult times attracts people.

The grandfather I knew was picky and uncompromising about everything, including his work, food, and the things he wore. When it came to clothes, he was particular about brands, but above all else he was particular about the quality of fabrics and tailoring. This was true even for her underwear, which was hidden from public view, and was always made of the highest quality materials.

It seems that his grandfather's trademark Kaiser mustache, an upside-down figure eight, was also his specialty. His father said that even in his final days at the hospital, he kept his beard neatly trimmed when greeting guests.
The same was true for her grandmother, Rita, who kept herself well-groomed and wore heels so that she could go out whenever she left her room. Both of her grandparents lived their lives proudly and without compromising their own style and philosophy.

However, there is one aspect of my grandfather that I will never forget. That was when his grandmother passed away. His grandfather cried loudly and privately, his voice echoing throughout the house. Eighteen years later, my grandfather passed away at the age of 18, and when he was admitted to the hospital he said, ``It's difficult for people from different cultures to come together. I put her through hardships that she could have avoided if she had married someone else.'' Those words of my grandfather still remain deep in my heart.

Neither my grandfather nor my father ever asked me to succeed them. However, after graduating from university, his grandfather seemed happy when it was decided that he would get a job at Nikka Whiskey.
At Nikka Whiskey, I was not a master blender like my grandfather and father, but I was involved in product development, marketing, branding, etc., and worked for about 20 years traveling around Japan and overseas. I decided to quit Nikka Whiskey because I wanted to make use of that experience and get involved in a broader range of branding strategies. Although there was considerable opposition from many people, there was no hesitation in pursuing a new path.

Since then, he has been involved in production and branding for various companies, and now has a strong interest in traditional Japanese techniques and manufacturing.
I would like to deepen my relationships with young leaders and craftsmen and support traditional Japanese techniques and manufacturing in my own way. This is because I believe that my role from now on is to connect the thoughts of the people living there. We also want to do something special for the upcoming 100th anniversary of Japanese whiskey.

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