Gaku: The First Brand Ambassador of The Macallan in Japan

The Macallan, one of the world’s most renowned whisky brands, was founded in 1824. Last year marked its 200th anniversary, a celebration of its legacy and evolution, which the brand describes as “200 Years Young”.

With centuries of craftsmanship behind the brand, The Macallan remains dedicated to innovation while honoring its heritage.

Gaku was appointed as The Macallan’s first brand Ambassador in Japan for his deep understanding of whisky and his expertise in hospitality, making him the ideal advocate for the brand.

Dear WHISKY had a great opportunity to interview Gaku. Through our conversation, we uncovered the story behind both him and the legacy of The Macallan whisky.

(Date of interview: February 10th, 2025)

About Gaku

Early life and education

Dear WHISKY：
We would like to start by asking about your background. Could you tell us a little about yourself?

Gaku：
Sure. I was born in Japan and spent several years abroad, but I moved frequently due to my father’s job, living in different countries. Since my parents wanted to give my sister and me the opportunity to learn English fluently, we moved to England, which became our home base.

Dear WHISKY：
I heard you graduated from a hotel school in Switzerland. Did you move there for your studies?

Gaku：
Yes. Switzerland is well known for its hotel management and hospitality schools, so I wanted to study there and decided to move.

But first, I had to learn French not just conversationally, but at an academic level for my studies.

Dear WHISKY：
Did you learn French beforehand?

Gaku：
I attended a language school and learned French. It took me about a year and a half, and then I passed the exam to get into renown hotel management school. It wasn’t easy, but it was a great experience where I met a lot of international people.

Choosing hotel management as a career

Dear WHISKY：
Why did you choose hotel management?

Gaku：
I like cooking and often helped my mother in the kitchen, but I realized that being a chef was just one part of the broader hospitality industry.

Then, my father and his friends introduced me to a hotel management school that covered all aspects of hospitality, including cooking, which led me in that direction.

Dear WHISKY：
Could you explain about the hotel school and hotel management?

Gaku：
Hotel management is about everything in a hotel, from the kitchen and service to marketing and overall management, covering all aspects that happen inside a hotel. That’s the degree I received.

Career Journey in Hospitality

From Swiss hotel school to New York

Dear WHISKY：
Could you tell us about your first career after graduating from hotel school?

Gaku：
After taking some time to find the right place to work, my friends from hotel school invited me to come to New York. I decided to go, and I found a job there.

The first place I worked at was the New York Palace Hotel.

Dear WHISKY：
How was your experience working there?

Gaku：
It was quite challenging working in a hotel because the schedule was all over the place. I had to be at the restaurant early in the morning for breakfast to be ready and welcome guests, and then went back home quite late. But despite the long hours which is/was common in hotel industry, I truly appriciated being in NYC.

Dear WHISKY：
What aspects of the job did you find most fulfilling?

Gaku：
I always wanted to be on the food and beverage side, rather than the hotel accommodation side.

The interaction with people, serving food and drinks, was something I took the most pleasure in.

Overcoming challenges and new opportunities

Dear WHISKY：
How long did you work at the New York Palace Hotel?

Gaku：
I worked there until 9/11 happened. I enjoyed working there and learning about food and beverage, but it was a major event that affected the hospitality industry in New York, and unfortunately, I was let go.

Dear WHISKY：
After that, were you able to find another position?

Gaku：
It was quite difficult, but I ended up finding a fantastic place to work. It was a boutique hotel run by Ian Schrager, a pioneer in creating boutique hotels. There, I was also in charge of food and beverage, and I had a great time interacting with people.

Exploring Alcohol in the Hospitality Industry

Understanding alcohol through tasting and education in hotel school

Dear WHISKY：
While building your career in the hotel industry, were you always interested in the alcohol industry, including whisky, wine, and others?

Gaku：
Yes, of course! But brown spirits aren’t typically popular among young people, so I wasn’t a whisky drinker when I was young. I usually went for beer.

However, when you get into hotel management, you must learn about alcohol, including whisky, wine, and so on.

Dear WHISKY：
Were there classes specifically for alcoholic beverages?

Gaku：
Yes, a lot! At hotel school, we had wine seminars and lectures covering various types of alcohol. In those courses, you have to taste in order to learn.

Without experiencing them firsthand, you can’t truly understand them.

That’s how I started learning about alcohol as part of the hospitality industry.

Discovering Whisky and the Journey to The Macallan

Entering the world of whisky

Dear WHISKY：
Do you remember your first experience with The Macallan?

Gaku：
My first Macallan experience was in New York. A regular customer offered me a glass of Macallan 30.

Dear WHISKY：
What was that first Macallan like for you?

Gaku：
It was a memorable experience, sharing that moment with my customer and enjoying it together. I really enjoyed it, but back then I was not really a whisky drinker, so I could not compare. I didn’t know the tasting notes or anything like that. I could not describe it beyond just calling it whisky.

Dear WHISKY：
How did you start getting into whisky?

Gaku：
It was actually in Japan that I really started drinking whisky, but mostly with soda, called highball in Japan. In 2018, when I returned to Japan for the first time in years, the biggest drinking trend was ordering beer first, which is a common norm in Japanese drinking culture. Then, it gradually shifted to highballs. I enjoyed the trend too, and that is how I started exploring whisky, though at the time I was not paying attention to specific brands or distilleries.

Dear WHISKY：
So you really started drinking whisky in Japan rather than in England?

Gaku：
I had a dram in England, and I remember that my first experience with whisky was a dram of Jura in Scotland. But I wasn’t really drinking whisky at that time.

Discovering The Macallan and building a passion

Dear WHISKY：
You mentioned not drinking much whisky before coming to Japan. Did your whisky experience in Japan influence your taste for whisky?

Gaku：
I am actually not fond of peated whisky, and my experience in Japan is probably one of the reasons I was not deeply into whisky in the beginning. Many Japanese whisky drinkers prefer peated whisky, so I did not have as many opportunities to explore other styles early on.

Dear WHISKY：
How did you discover the whisky that truly resonated with you?

Gaku：
For me, The Macallan’s Sherry Oak was a real discovery and fell in love with the brand. There are even some peated Macallans that I do like; they are a completely different style of whisky.

The Macallan, for me, is about perfection. It makes me think, “can it really be this perfect?” I love the brand I represent.

Dear WHISKY：
Have you always been passionate about The Macallan?

Gaku：
Yes, though I was not a Macallan drinker at first. Of course, I knew about the brand, and every time I see it, it brings back memories of my first dram of Macallan in New York. It reminds me of my youth in the city.

Becoming The Macallan Ambassador

From hospitality to whisky brand ambassador in Japan

Dear WHISKY：
How did you be appointed for The Macallan brand ambassador?

Gaku：
While working in Japan, I received an offer.

They were specifically looking for someone who is linguistic with a strong hospitality background rather than just expertise in whisky.

Dear WHISKY：
So, you were in Japan when you received the offer. When did you return?

Gaku：
I was headhunted by a fashion company that had a vision of creating a hotel. They were looking for someone with a background in hospitality, especially in hotel management, which I had. That’s when I decided to move back to Japan.

Dear WHISKY：
How was your experience working in Japan?

Gaku：
I had a great time working in Japan.

Although I was in the fashion industry, what I found most enjoyable was not the fashion side itself but the interactions with people.

At that time, I had never interacted with so many Japanese before in my life since I had always been abroad.

Philosophy as The Macallan brand ambassador

Dear WHISKY：
Then, you were asked to become an ambassador for The Macallan. How did you feel when you were appointed as the first brand ambassador for The Macallan in Japan?

Gaku：
It was pure joy, a simple “yes!”. In Japanese, it would probably be “よし（Yoshi）” or “きた（Kita）”. Simple, but with a lot of depth. The Macallan is one of the most famous whisky brands in the world, so I am very honored.

Dear WHISKY：
Could you tell us about your philosophy as a brand ambassador?

Gaku：
I represent The Macallan brand, and for me, advocacy is the priority. I’m not a salesperson; I’m not focused on selling a lot of bottles.

What matters most is sharing the truth and everything I know about the brand.

There’s so much information on the internet, but not all of it is correct or up-to-date. My knowledge is something I want to share with those who are interested in learning.

As the first brand ambassador, I’m here to advocate and make sure people get the correct information they want and need.

About The Macallan

200 Years Young

Dear WHISKY：
Could you tell us about the brand, The Macallan?

Gaku：
The Macallan started in 1824, and last year in 2024, we celebrated our 200th anniversary. But we like to say we’re “200 Years Young”, always looking toward the future.

We are still developing and progressing, with the future becoming the past.

Dear WHISKY：
How would you represent The Macallan in one phrase?

Gaku：
That’s a tricky question. But the key things to know are: since 1824, The Macallan has been obsessed with quality which is reflected in more than 600 quality checklists, our heritage, craftsmanship, flavor, innovation, and of course, The Six Pillars of The Macallan.

The Six Pillars

Dear WHISKY：
Could you explain “The Six Pillars of The Macallan” and each pillar in detail?

Gaku：
Sure!

The Six Pillars are what makes The Macallan. 

I’ll explain each of them one by one.

１：The Macallan Estate

Gaku：
Easter-Elchies House is The Macallan’s spiritual home. Without this house, The Macallan would never have existed.

It stands at the heart of our 485-acre estate, which includes about 2 miles (about 3 km) of the River Spey, our warehouses, cooperage, and both the old and new distilleries.

We are inspired and nurtured by nature.

２：Curiously Small Stills

Gaku：
We use small pot stills, some of the smallest in Scotland. These small stills create rich, fruity and robust flavor in the new make spirit.

It makes the very liquid that enters our casks since 1824, we have kept that exact same shape and size of our curiously small stills, to continue the heritage of our founder Alexander Reid and to continue delivering consistent quality of The Macallan. While we could have scaled up, we chose not to in order to maintain the quality we aim for.

We may use small stills, but that doesn’t mean we lack the capacity to meet demand. We produce constantly while ensuring quality remains at the forefront.

３：Exceptional Oak Casks

Gaku：
The process of making The Macallan whisky begins with growing oak trees. We even own forests to grow the oak trees used for The Macallan casks.

The Macallan uses both European and American oak, and preparing these casks takes an incredibly long time. European oak takes about 100 years to mature, while American oak takes about 70 years.

From growing the trees to the moment the whisky is ready to drink, the entire process takes around 120 years.

That’s how much time and care goes into every bottle.

４：Sherry Seasoned

Gaku：
Sherry is extremely important to us. We have a partnership with Jerez De La Frontera in the southern part of Spain, working with the Valdespino brand of sherry.

Valdespino makes bespoke sherry for The Macallan, designed specifically for us. We use oxidised bespoke sherry to season our casks for approximately 18 to 24 months.

80% of the flavor and taste comes from our exceptional Oak casks and the color is 100% natural.

５：Natural Color

Gaku：
As mentioned above, we put great effort into making our own casks. The color of our whisky comes solely from the cask. We don’t add any artificial coloring—it’s all natural!

６：Mastery

Gaku：
Everyone involved with The Macallan brand possesses mastery, and this commitment defines The Macallan, which means we carefully select the finest quality spirit from the stills to ensure it creates the best single malt whisky.

We also ensure that the entire process of acorn to lips is of the highest quality and we do not compromise at any cost to make sure that everything is “The best of the best”.

We also have a team of incredible whisky makers who make sure that everything which we offer is what best represents the brand.

Dear WHISKY：
Is there a way to ensure the quality meets the standard?

Gaku：
The checklist ensures and maintains The Macallan’s quality. It includes more then 600 items. If something goes wrong, it’s not considered The Macallan. Our goal is to ensure that everything we produce meets 100% of the highest quality standards.

Characteristics of The Macallan Whisky

A comparison of two signature series

Dear WHISKY：
The Macallan has two main series, the Double Cask series and the Sherry Oak series. Could you tell us about these series?

Gaku：
It’s an important distinction to make between these two series, as people might get confused.

Both the Double Cask series and the Sherry Oak series are matured 100% in Sherry casks from Jerez de la Frontera, Spain.

What I’d like to emphasize is that every single Macallan, whether it’s from the Double Cask series or the Sherry Oak series, uses both European and American oak, not just European oak.

Dear WHISKY：
Can you explain the difference between the two? 

Gaku：
The Double Cask series offers a balance, bringing together the best qualities of both the European and American sherry casks. On the other hand, the Sherry Oak series strongly emphasizes the characteristics of the European sherry cask.

Double Cask Series

Dear WHISKY：
Can you tell us the features of the Double Cask series?

Gaku：
This Macallan whisky balances the use of both European and American oak. It’s refreshing and light, making it a great choice for summer and pairs beautifully with soda. The Double Cask series offers a creamier, smoother profile with notes of toffee, fresh fruits, and caramel. While the 12-year expression is fruit-forward, the 15 to 18-year versions develop deeper baked fruit flavors.

Sherry Oak Series

Dear WHISKY：
Can you tell us the features of the Sherry Oak series?

Gaku：
The Macallan Sherry Oak series strongly highlights the character of European casks. This series evokes the warmth of sipping by the fireplace. It’s rich and complex, with pronounced spice from European oak. It unfolds with dried fruits, chocolate, and almonds, followed by warming ginger and a smooth oak finish.

Dear WHISKY：
The Macallan released two new limited edition bottles from the Sherry Oak series, 25 years and 30 years old. Could you tell us about these two bottles?

Gaku：
These bottles are special.

With bottles aged over 25 or 30 years, you get a unique flavor from Macallan, “pineapple”.

In the 25-year bottle, you can experience a subtle hint of pineapple, while in the 30-year bottle, it’s more pronounced.

Dear WHISKY：
So, specifically pineapple, not tropical fruits?

Gaku：
You get tropical fruit flavors such as mango and papaya, but pineapple is a unique note that comes from the American oak side. It’s a particular characteristic of The Macallan.

Pineapple flavor is a keyword for certain maturations of The Macallan.

But I also want to mention that these are just matrices we use to describe the taste, and it can vary. For example, your taste of grapefruit or raisins might not be the same as mine. It really depends on the day, mood, or condition.

There’s no right or wrong. Just appreciate the taste you experience.

How to Taste and Enjoy The Macallan

Expert tips for savoring The Macallan whisky

Dear WHISKY：
Do you have any recommendations for The Macallan drinkers?

Gaku：
If you have the opportunity, try both the Sherry Oak and Double Cask series side by side and experience the difference.

They’re distinct, but both are The Macallan, and it’s great to compare them within the same brand.

Dear WHISKY：
Any advice for trying The Macallan for the first time?

Gaku：
If you’ve never had The Macallan before, my recommendation is to start with a straight dram, but don’t rush to drink it.

Smell the liquid, look at the colour and sip it. The order is very important.

When drinking, just wet your lips and your tongue with our liquid, The Macallan, and you’ll begin to appreciate the flavors, scents, and everything else. Then, gradually sip and enjoy it slowly to understand what you like.

Dear WHISKY：
What kind of occasion do you recommend for enjoying The Macallan?

Gaku：
It can be enjoyed daily or for special moments. Unlike wine, it can be kept for a long time as long as it’s stored in a dark place, away from direct sunlight.

Enjoy it however you like — that’s the best way.

Message for Dear WHISKY Readers

Dear WHISKY：
Could you give the message to the Dear WHISKY readers?

Gaku：
Thank you for taking the time to read about me and The Macallan. With over 200 years of history, The Macallan isn’t just old, it is 200 years young. Understanding its rich heritage and craftsmanship makes this whisky even more valuable and special.

Whisky is not about right or wrong tastes, it is about finding the one for you. I found The Macallan is one for me.

If you already have a favorite, that is great. If you have not tried The Macallan yet, I encourage you to.

The Macallan is about appreciating the present while embracing the future, always striving for quality, innovation, and a lasting legacy. If you know its story, you may appreciate it even more. I am not here to persuade you, but to share its story, one that might just make you appreciate it more.

The first step is simple. Just give it a try, and if you do, learning its story will make the experience even better.

At Last

We discovered one of the key people who shape The Macallan. Gaku was given the role of brand ambassador not only for his deep knowledge of whisky but also for his expertise in hospitality. He represents The Macallan by sharing its story and bringing people together through whisky, creating connections beyond just passing on information.

Just as The Macallan carefully crafts its whisky by honoring tradition while embracing innovation, Gaku embodies the brand’s philosophy. Through his words and presence, he allows people to experience The Macallan in a way that goes beyond taste, connecting the past, present, and future – just as the whisky itself does.