A world renowned Japanese blend, Hibiki 17 Year Old is made with aged malt and grain whiskies from Suntory's distilleries. Initially released in 1989, the blend is matured in Japanese mizunara oak casks at Yamazaki. Hibiki means harmony, which has certainly been achieved in this wonderful and iconic blend.
This bottle was part of a private collection - if you'd like more detailed photos just get in touch!
Quite full. There are notes of honey and wax, resin and oak. There are notes of gentle smoke and cacao, hints of cooked fruit and a nutty note.
Sweet and rich. There are crisp notes of mixed peels, raisin and custard with a little zest and plenty of oak.
Long with notes of oak and cocoa and sherried peels.
I did not expect to like this as much as i have, sipping on some now. The nose is unique to anything I have had before - spice and floral blossom alongside pine and oak with beeswax, one of the most interesting noses that will have you inhaling it for a long time, there are tones of smoke, and leaf alongside notes of rich vanilla and citrus leaf. The taste is as good, an initial intense spice with chili leads into a more beguiling sensation of baked tropical fruits, bananas toffee, slight peaty smokiness which I wasn't expecting, more spice and eventual mellowing over well balanced cream, spice and fruit. I can't believe how good this is, almost as good as some of my favourite Scottish single malts! and better than a lot of the Scottish blends. Unbelievable...
Clean and fresh
very nice
A review by Tommy Byrne Overall rating: 7,5/10 - Good and Unique As many western whisky enthusiasts, I discovered the Suntory whisky brand a few years ago thanks to Bill Murray’s sells pitch in Sofia Coppola’s Lost in Translations: “For relaxing times, make it Suntory time”. Having first tried the Yamazaki 12 years old Single Malt, I had huge expectations from the brand who made me forget it was not actually drinking a true scotch whisky. Swirling in my very favourite Glencairn glass, the old gold fluid already let you know you are dealing with an almost full body whisky. Starting with some dried bananas and apricots nosing notes, honeydew and pineapple soon appear after the first sip. While the toasted barley and dry fruits blends in with balance to an insinuation of toffee in the palate, I found it a little too sharp for a 17 years old whisky. However, the addition of a drop of water will definitely make up for it. Reaching the finishing line, we know we are dealing with a fine-aged product, it last remarkably in the mouth, reminding you that you are drinking a hundred dollar whisky. I’ve never been a strong fan of scotch-type blended whiskies; they always seem to lack of a true essence and hide their original personality. Why blend this sweet nectar with an obscure array of distilled spirits, when the angels delightfully take their shares in the untainted form? Then again, let’s be clear, the 17 years old version of Suntory Hibiki is a great product made with a thorough process by Japanese master blenders who have perfectly reproduced the style and character of a Speyside whisky to my sense. Being an unconditional devotee to Islay Malts, I think that a stronger hint of peat would really transform this whisky into what some have already branded it: “The best whisky in the world”.
Exquisite. Enough said.
