Article first published by our partner, Japanese Whisky Dictionary. Visit them here. Find the original article here.

“Hibiki” is the pinnacle of Japan’s world-class blended whisky.

“Hibiki” is said to be a blend of carefully selected, long-matured whiskies from over 800,000 unique whiskies produced and stored at Suntory’s three distilleries in Japan: the Yamazaki, Hakushu, and Chita Distilleries.

“Hibiki” is a top-rated premium blended whisky released in 1989 to commemorate the 90th anniversary of the company’s founding.

“BLOSSOM HARMONY” is a blend of grain whisky aged for more than 10 years in white oak barrels and further aged for several years in cherry casks.

The octagonal plate, which is said to bring good luck, is decorated with “Matsukawabishi,” meaning longevity, and auspicious flowers such as cherry blossoms and irises, creating a neat and gorgeous design that is perfect for celebratory occasions and as a gift.

The Bottle

A wide variety of sake matured over the course of four seasons.
This special “Hibiki” is a blend of a variety of sake that has been aged well over the course of four seasons and rare sake that has been aged in cherry barrels.

The aroma is fragrant and flowery, the taste is round and harmonious, and the body is smooth, sweet, and rich.

The harmony of its floral aroma, round and harmonious flavor, and rich, sweet aftertaste is a delight to savor.

Reference: Suntory’s official website

Our Take

Compared to HIBIKI BLOSSOM HARMONY 2021, the HIBIKI BLOSSOM HARMONY 2021

is superior to the 2021 in terms of fruity and freshness, and gives the impression of being slightly more relaxed. Both the aroma and taste have a strong presence of aged grain whisky with a rich sweetness.

As soon as you put it close to your nose, you can smell the sweet aroma of grain whisky, followed by a subtle fresh aroma of cherry blossoms.

In the mouth, it is nuttier and tastier than expected. Overall, it has a strong taste, with the sweetness of grain whisky with a sense of maturity as mentioned above, and a fruity flavor reminiscent of bananas.

If you give it time to open up, the cherry cask character shows its presence even more, revealing spicy and sour tastes.

The end result is a creamy sweetness that lingers in the mouth with just the right amount of sweetness.

If you prefer a woody and dry type, try 2021, and if you prefer a sweet and creamy type, try 2022.

This is a very popular brand with limited quantities, so if you are able to purchase it, or if you come across it at a bar, please take the time to taste it for yourself.

(All Images Courtesy of JPWhisky.net)

For more awesome Japanese Whisky content, go visit: