By RYUICHIRO FUKUOKA/ Staff Writer
March 1, 2025 at 07:00 JST
Shinji Fukuyo has lived by his own rules for nearly 20 years to stay in shape and keep his senses sharp.
The 63-year-old employee of Suntory Spirits Ltd. awakes daily at 4 a.m. and goes to work at 7 a.m.
He never eats fish for breakfast for fear fragments could remain stuck between his teeth even after brushing, ruining his sense of smell.
Fukuyo eats a bowl of soba noodles topped with tempura for lunch each day. He also makes sure to keep the lighting and room temperature at the same level as much as possible.
His perseverance paid off.
Fukuyo, the fifth-generation chief blender responsible for the taste of Suntory whiskies since 2009, was recognized as Master Blender of the Year at the prestigious International Spirits Challenge in 2024.
Because Fukuyo is responsible for 1.6 million wooden barrels of aging whiskey, he often samples 300 component whiskies during his work day.
“I rely on my own sense of taste and smell at the end of the day, not what customers say,” he said.
The blender joined the company in 1984 and was put in charge of the processes of whiskey making.
But domestic whiskey consumption continued to drop for 25 years straight due to the rising popularity of shochu and other factors.
Struggling with sluggish sales, it wasn’t unusual for Fukuyo to spend all day cleaning the distillery.
Still, he made a point of training his senses of taste and smell day after day.
A turning point came in 2010 when the Yamazaki 1984 won world acclaim after winning an international competition named International Spirits Challenge.
Fukuyo now works at the Yamazaki Distillery in Osaka Prefecture. Fans from overseas often seek him out for a handshake if they learn the master blender is on the premises.
“Times have certainly changed,” he said.
Fukuyo only drinks Torys or Kaku whiskies, both from Suntory, with his holiday dinner.
“If I drink the Yamazaki, it makes me feel like working,” he said. “I find myself thinking about whiskey and fade out of conversations with my family.”
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Shinji Fukuyo (Photo by Ryuichiro Fukuoka)
