Article first published by our partner, Japanese Whisky Dictionary. Visit them here. Find the original article here.
“Hibiki” is the pinnacle of blended whisky that Japan boasts to the world.
It is said that Hibiki is a blend of long matured raw materials carefully selected from more than 800,000 unique raw materials produced and stored at the three distilleries owned by Suntory in Japan: Yamazaki Distillery, Hakushu Distillery, and Chita Distillery.
Hibiki, created by the traditional blending techniques that have been cultivated over the 100 years since the Yamazaki distillery started operations in 1923, is the highest quality premium blended whisky that was released in 1989 to commemorate the 90th anniversary of its founding. It was born out of the desire of the founder and first master blender, Shinjiro Torii, who continued to pursue the creation of whisky that would suit the delicate tastes of the Japanese.
The Bottle
A fragrant aroma and round taste that will add a festive touch to any celebration.
Based on the main ingredients of Hibiki, it is blended with the brand’s first “Cherry Blossom Barrel Finished Sake”, which is a combination of rare long matured grain sake that has been matured in cherry blossom barrels. It features a gorgeous aroma reminiscent of flowers derived from cherry blossom barrels, a mellow and harmonious taste, and a rich and refreshing aftertaste. For the package, the label depicts a hundred flowers suitable for celebratory occasions, and the color “tsuyabeni” is used as a supplementary color to express the gorgeousness of the cherry blossom barrel. It also features a gorgeous gift-like carton with the image of a festive bowl.
| Aroma | Aromatic flowers, cherry blossoms, and kumquats. |
| Taste | Rounded mouthfeel, smooth mouth aroma, acacia honey Acacia honey, La France, elegant sweetness like cherry cake. |
| Aftertaste | Long, rich, gorgeous aftertaste. |
| Alcohol content | 43% alcohol by volume |
| by alcohol | blended whiskey |
| Barrel type | Cherry blossom barrel |
| Contents | 700ml |
| Number of bottles sold | – |
| Suggested retail price | 8,800 yen (tax included) |
| Release date | May 25, 2021 (Tuesday) |
Our Take
The official website recommended a strong soda.
It has a gorgeous aroma and lingering aftertaste, and is said to go well with meals.
It is also said to go well with Japanese sweets such as red bean paste and wasanbon sugar, as well as the savory aroma of kinako (soybean flour).
It is truly a perfect bottle for hospitality.
(All Images Courtesy of JPWhisky.net)
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