Have a rare, discontinued whisky? The most expensive blended whisky

Suntory, a leader in the Japanese whisky industry, has propelled Japanese whisky onto the international stage, rivaling Scotch whisky, in just a few decades, thanks to its exceptional brewing techniques and profound industry influence. Its three iconic brands—Yamazaki, Hakushu, and Hibiki—each possess unique characteristics, collectively showcasing the exquisite craftsmanship and rich diversity of Japanese whisky.

Yamazaki and Hakushu, as representatives of single malt whiskies, demonstrate Japan's expertise and innovation in this single variety. The Yamazaki Distillery, established in 1923, is Japan's first whisky distillery, renowned for its unique brewing process and excellent water source. The Hakushu Distillery, on the other hand, is a distinctive "forest distillery" nestled in a forest, known for its crisp taste and unique terroir.

However, it is Hibiki, a blended whisky brand, that has truly brought Suntory widespread fame. Hibiki is not just a standout among blended whiskies; it represents the pinnacle of Japanese whisky quality and a pursuit of luxury. Its success is not only reflected in its numerous "World's Best Blended Whisky" awards but also in its exquisite blending artistry and consistently high quality.

The original whiskies for Hibiki are sourced from Suntory's three main distilleries. The malt whisky from the Yamazaki distillery is known for its rich and varied flavors; Hakushu provides Hibiki with a refreshing and unique taste; and Chita is the primary production base for grain whisky, adding layers and richness to Hibiki's palate. These three distinct styles of original whiskies, skillfully blended by master blenders, collectively create the unique charm of Hibiki blended whisky.

What are the available expressions?

1. Hibiki Japanese Harmony Blended Whisky
Hibiki Japanese Harmony Blended Whisky

The creation of "Hibiki Japanese Harmony" is inspired by the 24 solar terms of the East, blending over 12 malt and grain whiskies from Yamazaki, Hakushu, and other distilleries. It was developed and blended by Suntory's 3rd Chief Blender, Shingo Torii, and 4th Chief Blender, Shinji Fukuyo.

This non-age statement whisky took over after the discontinuation of Hibiki 12 Year Old, maintaining the classic 24-faceted bottle design of the Hibiki series. These facets symbolize the 24 solar terms relevant to the brewing process, as well as the 24 hours in a day. Its beautiful appearance resembles a brown perfume bottle, with the uneven surface allowing Hibiki to sparkle regardless of the angle of light.

The bottle label is made from Echizen Washi, designed by Washi artist Eriko Horiki, and the kanji character "響" (Hibiki) on the label is written by Japanese calligrapher Tanboku Ogino, exuding elegance and refinement.

2. Hibiki 12 Years Old Blended Whisky
Hibiki 12 Years Old Blended Whisky

Carefully blended from malt and grain whiskies aged 12 years or more. It utilizes plum wine cask-aged malt whisky, further enhancing Hibiki's unique sweet and rich aroma. The recipe also includes malt whisky aged over 30 years, giving Hibiki 12 Year Old a rich and mellow taste with increased maturity.

Unfortunately, this whisky was discontinued in 2015. Whisky is a product of time, and even with recent rapid production growth, it cannot quickly meet the ever-increasing demand. Suntory previously estimated that by 2026, the company's production capacity might catch up with demand.

3. Hibiki 17 Years Old Blended Whisky
Hibiki 17 Years Old Blended Whisky

Hibiki 17 Year Old was the first expression released by the brand, launched in 1989. It is a blend of over 30 malt and grain whiskies aged 17 years or more. It offers notes of caramel milk and sweet floral and fruity aromas, with a smooth, full-bodied, balanced, clear, and layered taste.

Among the various Hibiki age statements, the 17 Year Old is particularly difficult to find. Although it's not the oldest in the lineup, it was the first Hibiki to enter the market, making its commemorative and collectible value far greater than its intrinsic taste value. This whisky was once selected by whisky expert Ian Buxton as one of the "101 Whiskies to Try Before You Die," requiring whiskies to be classic, highly available, and moderately priced. Evidently, its current availability is low (it's very hard to buy), and its price is very high, but this still shows its status and influence within the whisky industry.

In May 2018, Suntory announced that Hibiki 17 Year Old would gradually be removed from its domestic product catalog in Japan starting September 2018. Whether due to rumors or deliberate media guidance, many people mistakenly believed that Hibiki 17 Year Old would be discontinued, causing its price to surge overnight to over 3000+, while in April 2017, its market price had just exceeded 1000. Suntory later clarified that it would only cease sales in Japan, without affecting supply in China.

4. Hibiki 21 Years Old Blended Whisky
Hibiki 21 Years Old Blended Whisky

This whisky has won awards every year since 2009 at the WWA competition and is the most awarded Hibiki whisky with the WWA "World's Best Blended Whisky" title. It also received an exceptionally high score of 96 in the "Whisky Bible 2014," making it an undisputed core brand product. Aged in Bourbon, Sherry, and Mizunara casks, it blends over 30 different original whiskies, offering an elegant, serene, and profound taste.

5. Hibiki 30 Years Old Blended Whisky
Hibiki 30 Years Old Blended Whisky

This whisky, released in 1997, is blended from original whiskies aged 30 years or more, primarily from American white oak casks from the Yamazaki and Hakushu distilleries, as well as grain whisky aged over 30 years from the Chita distillery. All production processes are completed by hand, with only a few thousand bottles produced annually, each numbered. The bottle design is also more exquisite, featuring 30 cut facets on a crystal bottle to represent the 30 years the whisky spent in oak casks, and an Echizen Washi label embedded with gold foil. This whisky was also selected for Ian Buxton's "101 Whiskies to Try Before You Die" series.

6. Hibiki 35 Years Old Blended Whisky
Hibiki 35 Years Old Blended Whisky

Hibiki 35 Year Old holds a status similar to Yamazaki 50 Year Old, released as a limited edition with only a little over 100 bottles produced each time, typically only found at auctions. The whisky is a blend of original whiskies aged 35 to 46 years, housed in specially designed ceramic bottles.

In addition to the above expressions, Hibiki also has several special editions, including:

Hibiki Japanese Harmony Master's Select, specially released in global travel retail in 2015, featuring over 10 original whiskies aged in 5 types of oak casks, including American white oak, sherry, and Japanese Mizunara, skillfully blending oaks from around the world, with a prominent sherry flavor.

Hibiki Japanese Harmony Limited Edition Design, a limited edition launched in November 2018 to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the "Hibiki" brand. The blend within the bottle is largely unchanged, but the bottle's packaging has been redesigned. Inspired by traditional kimono patterns, the bottle features a special decoration with the traditional Japanese symbol of celebration—the Tabane-noshi gift knot pattern. Since ancient times, Japan has had the custom of decorating precious gifts with gift cords, and multiple cords tied together form the "Tabane-noshi" gift knot, symbolizing auspiciousness and good fortune, and representing the sharing of happiness and joy with others.

Hibiki Blender's Choice, with an average age of 15 years for the original whiskies, including some aged over 30 years. Although the average age of the original whiskies is 15 years, there may be whiskies younger than 15 years, making this a non-age statement whisky. Its price is slightly lower than Hibiki 17, but definitely higher than other non-age statement whiskies. Interestingly, this whisky has also been matured in wine casks, contributing to more sweetness and complexity.

Hibiki 17 Kacho Fugetsu, "Kacho Fugetsu" in Japanese refers to flowers, birds, wind, and moon, and this packaging aims to convey the natural beauty of Japan. Released in 2016, with a limited production of no more than 1,000 bottles.

Hibiki 17 Mount Fuji, released by Suntory to commemorate Mount Fuji, Japan's highest peak, being added to the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage list in 2013.

Hibiki 21 Year Old Ceramic Edition, since 2001, Suntory has released a limited edition of Hibiki 21 Year Old every year, presented in handmade Arita-yaki or Kutani-yaki ceramic bottles, paying homage to Japanese ceramic culture. Arita-yaki is arguably the most representative Japanese porcelain, with a soft white bottle body painted with vivid blue or red patterns, like watercolors painted on pure white paper. In contrast, Kutani-yaki's colorful paintings are more magnificent, mainly using five colors: red, green, purple, yellow, and blue, with diverse painted compositions.

Hibiki 21 Kacho Fugetsu, the bottle still features the classic 24 facets, and was initially only released in Japan.

Hibiki 21 Mount Fuji, including the first edition, available only in Japan, limited to 2,000 bottles; and the second edition, a duty-free version, also limited to 2,000 bottles.

Hibiki 30 Kacho Fugetsu, a special edition released in 2015 exclusively for travel retail.

Note: Not all special editions are listed above.