Former Nikka Whisky Distilling Co. Ltd. Senior Cheif Blender Tadashi Sakuma 佐久間 正

In 1982, Tadashi Sakuma joined Nikka Whisky Co., Ltd. After joining the company, he was assigned to the Hokkaido factory, and later held various positions including European Office Manager (London), Head of Raw Materials Group in the Production Department at the headquarters, and Tochigi Factory Manager. He expanded his knowledge through experiences such as spirit production, cask maturation, raw material sourcing, and working in Scotland. In April 2012, he assumed the role of Chief Blender and Manager of the Blender's Room. He proudly inherited the dream and passion of Masataka Taketsuru, the founder of Nikka Whisky and often referred to as the father of Japanese whisky. With the aim of creating whiskies that everyone finds delicious, he has played a leading role in the Japanese whisky industry that is widely recognized.

In 2014, during Nikka's 80th anniversary year, his "Taketsuru 17 Year Pure Malt" received the world's highest award for the second time at the World Whisky Awards (WWA), an international whisky competition held by the British whisky magazine "Whisky Magazine" since 2007. This marked the sixth time the "Taketsuru" brand achieved the World's Best title. Although he retired from Nikka in March 2020, he continues to support the development and challenges of the Japanese whisky industry.