Its price means it the perfect bulk buy, and its story makes it an ideal travel gift. *Source: Wayback Machine archives of wine-searcher.com. Its designed for very peaty Scotch whiskies. But thats when Hibiki is available. And you can also think of it as a baby Hibiki. But Hibiki 17 has way more depth. Hibiki 17 or Hibiki 21 expressions are some of the most regarded whiskies, making them a lot tougher to find the bottle. A large ice cube will yield a cold whisky with only modest dilution. Both are priced similarly and are excellent Japanese blended whiskies. Thats because the Chivas distillate spends less time in mizunara. But prices range from reasonable to mega-gouge. Hibiki Harmony has a color between copper and amber. And the grain whisky is made at Chita. This is good if youre having food with your whisky. The results are intensely floral and fruity that, as you climb in years-in-barrel, present more depth, citrus notes and tannic twists. So its the epitome of watered-down. A world renowned Japanese blend, Hibiki 17 Year Old is made with aged malt and grain whiskies from Suntory's distilleries . Its finish is more drawn out, and the sweet and bright notes you get at first sip with Harmony and the 12 dont show up as quickly. Suntory - Hibiki Blender's Choice I reported the release of the Hibiki Blender's Choice by Suntory several months ago, before its launch in Japan on September 4 th. The Yamazaki 18 YO is widely considered Suntorys standard bearer. What are your thoughts on Hibiki 21-Year? However, if you happen to stumble into a store in Asia that has this, it should cost you no more than $250.. SRP: $250Street Price: $500-$1,000Year Introduced: 1984Production: Discontinued. I enjoy the majority of what Laphroaig puts out. A 1.5-ounce pour for $150 is a good deal. For 14 years, including two years in Ireland, Martin was one of the original Diageo Sr. Masters of Whisky. But it doesnt end there: The man works with several whisky companies and hosts educational tastings for the likes for Google and Facebook in Californiain addition to Vice in New York City. For me, anything Lagavulin touches is a no-brainer., GLENDRONACH 1968 ANA (ALL NIPPON AIRWAYS), I have watched this bottle gain roughly over 200% value in the past two years alone,Ganapathi says. But they temporarily discontinued Hakushu 12 in 2018 and have already brought it back. A steep price is the biggest downside. Avg Price (ex-tax) $ 1,333 / 750ml. Lost in Translation was a big hit. How much ? In 1929, Torii hired Masataka Taketsuru to create the worlds first Japanese whisky. Harmony on the rocks is a popular way to enjoy this whisky. Master Select has a lot more fruity Yamazaki malt and Sherry cask influence. While the loss of the great blend isnt the best news, the future is bright for Japanese whisky. On the nose, there is a light smoke, accompanied by candied orange peel, vanilla and cinnamon. The beloved Nikka whisky, distilled at the Yoichi distillery in Hokkaido and brainchild of sorts of Masataka Taketsuru, the "Father of Japanese Whisky," is being discontinued. If youre really into authentic Japanese whisky, Hibiki Harmony isnt a bad deal. Hibiki Harmony wins the value category. Hibiki is a luxury blended whisky brand. Specific notes include rose, orange and lemon peels, green apple, lychee, sandalwood, eucalyptus, and mint. Its light, punchy and floral, the baseline for all Japanese whiskies to come. And many enthusiasts are right to ask: is Hibiki 21 discontinued too? Then add the Hibiki Harmony. (1110176) - The Dream of a Butterfly. And the mizunara provides notes of sandalwood, aloe, and incense. Id love to hear your thoughts about Hibiki. But it isnt powerful or rich. Glad their whiskies are finally available in the US. Now, TUN 1509 has taken its place and has a capacity of four times what 1401 did. Suntory designed Toki to do one thing extraordinarily well: mix in highballs. Its floral, spicy, and smooth. But it's a reasonable question to ask. This has created a scarcity of the Suntory Hibiki whiskey, pushing prices up, making it very expensive. Let's hope we don't see many other aged Japanese expressions fade away before the whisky in the barrels has come of age. This expression is the exact same base spirit as 12, just six years older. He lives in Edinburgh. Only 522 of these bottles were sold, with the proceeds going to seven different Islay-based charities, to give thanks to the people of the smoky and peaty isle,Ganapathi says This whisky was so oversubscribed to for the chance to purchase a bottle, that Diageo had to ballot off the bottles to random winners. Your email address will not be published. Hibiki operates out of 3 distilleries in Japan: In Yamazaki, Hakaushu, and Chita, Japan. And where can I get it? Neat is a great way to enjoy the subtle but complex flavors of Harmony. Those are included in this guide, as they remain available in limited quantities in and outside of Japan. The market for Japanese whisky has gone insane with no end in sight. And the answer is no. But dont count on Hibiki 21 being discontinued. In 2017, Suntory officially discontinued Hibiki 17. For most of us, the best way to try it is at Yamazakis tasting room in Osaka. At least, according to Reddit. I never ever liked rye until I met Michters. People often ask if Yamazaki 12 is discontinued. Whereas, the Yamazaki is a malt whisky. More on that below. In 2018, Beam Suntory recently discontinued its most famous expressions, namely, Hibiki 17-year-old and Hakusha 12-year-old. Its unavailable in U.S. stores, though you could buy this online from a number of sites, but prices are far exaggerated from Kakubins status as a convenience store whisky in its home country. In 2017, Suntory officially discontinued Hibiki 17. The skyrocketing prices of Japanese whiskydont seem to make a difference to many buyers and investors. Check it out and follow me to find more educational content. Yamazaki is devoted to single malt production. Prices at these stores are usually ok. In 2015, Suntory decided to bottle a single grain variant to sell in Japan (it hasnt made it to the States yet). But the Hibiki 17 sees a lot more mizunara and sherry cask aging. My amazingly kind friend Franois at the Golden Promise Whisky Bar in Paris made this happen, as it is indeed my birth year bottle! This makes it easier to find Hibiki Harmony. You can taste its creamy, sweet, and fruity influence. Overall, the supply of this great blended whisky is good enough that it pays to shop around. If youre looking for a total bargain, small independent liquor stores may be your best hope. The Hibiki 21 Mt Fuji Edition is the same whisky with a different label. Gear Patrol participates in various affiliate marketing programs, which means we may get paid commissions on editorially chosen products purchased through our links to retailer sites. I write about wines and spirits and the hidden corners of the world, Tokyo 2012 (Photo by Jeremy Sutton-Hibbert/Getty Images), The Worlds Best Gins, According To The 2023 San Francisco World Spirits Competition, The Worlds Best Blended WhiskeyAccording To The 2023 San Francisco World Spirits Competition, Whisky Of The Week: Royal Ranthambores Indian Blend, The Worlds Best Vodkas, According To The 2023 San Francisco World Spirits Competition, 7 New Tequilas For A Cinco De Mayo Celebration, One Of The Most Valuable Whisky Collections Is Now Up For Auction, Winery Pays Top Dollar To Harvest Grapes, Making One Of The Greatest Wines In The World. If your favorite Japanese whisky tastes a bit like Scotch, that may be because there is Scotch in the blend. And the whisky market could also cool off. Both whiskies are wildly popular. You may opt-out by. An extremely highly-revered bottle from Nikkas first (Ichi means no. As with Hibiki 17 and up, the Mizunara cask impact is greater than on the 18 than the 12, with loads of sandalwood that stay with you from nosing to the finish. And if you find it, make sure it has the box (extra points if it has the ribbon. A 21-year-aged whisky takes time to make, of course. First, dissolve the sugar in the glass with bitters. There again, no single malt whisky is replicable thats the point. Such a choral piece. Forwarning: you will (likely) never drink this expression. And there are also a few Scotch whiskies worth considering too. Both Harmony and the Hibiki 17 blend Yamazaki, Hakushu, and Chita whiskies. But make sure to factor in the cost of shipping. The 2019 Edition of Hibiki 17 is available for pre-order on Japanese whisky retailer Dekanta for a whopping $600, a $450 jump over the whisky's official $150 retail price. But in 2018, Suntory announced it was discontinuing Hibiki 17, gradually. With demand at an all-time high, several online retailers have evencreated ballots for extremely rare, well-aged releases. Though aged stock is lessening, the major Japanesewhisky maker is optimistic about the categorys growth in the future, and will not make the mistake of running out of stock again. Both whiskies are only lightly peated with notes of heather. Hibiki Harmony makes a fine highball. The result has been skyrocketing prices and acute shortages. Would you mix it with Coke?#hibikiwhisky #japanesewhisky #bartenderlife #barhumor #japanesewhiskey. Made exclusively for Taiwan and Japan, this can, from time to time, still be spotted in some local shops, and is a complete sherry bombGanapathi says. Creme brulee, chocolate cake, and apple pie are just a few worth trying. And like Johnny Blue, it has a different profile than Hibiki 21. Oh, no! It almost moves us to tears. The 2019 Edition of Hibiki 17 is available for pre-order on Japanese whisky retailer Dekanta for a whopping $600, a $450 jump over the whiskys official $150 retail price. Double strain the drink into a rocks glass filled with ice. And I dont blame them. And you can sometimes find it for a reasonable price. Yamazaki 12-Year-Old Japanese whisky Suntory, the owner of Yamazaki and a number of other leading Japanese whiskies, has discontinued its Hibiki 17-Year-Old (which would have devastated Bill Murray's character in Lost in Translation) and the Hakushu 12-Year-Old Single Malt. 1 vault. How much? The same goes for local shops. Suntory announced it will stop selling Hakushu 12 Year and Hibiki 17 Year in 2018 and there are no plans to bring them back in . In my humble opinion, it outdoes its sherry cask counterpart of the same ageas well as its older brother, the 30 year. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Hibiki 21 Year Old Blended Whisky. In 2017, Japan produced 132 million liters of whisky and imported well over 10 million liters of either whisky or its equivalent, both aged and partially aged, from Scotland. Hibiki is a blend of single malt pot still whisky, both peated and unpeated, and column still produced grain whisky. Opinions expressed by Forbes Contributors are their own. There are some companies exploiting the lack of legislation around Japanese whisky, and greater transparency is needed, but it would be wrong to infer that all the Japanese whisky which is exported is in some way 'tainted'. In the UK, Hibiki Harmony 70cl bottles currently sell from 70-100. . As the NAS whiskymovement grows, producers can experiment and bring togetheryounger vintages and flavors. It was truly crazy!. 3 Reviews. Gear Patrol participates in various affiliate marketing programs, which means we may get paid commissions on editorially chosen products purchased through our links to retailer sites.