This is the original Hibiki 12 Year Old in the 750mL size made for the American market, the blend Suntory launched in 2009 and withdrew in 2015. It is best known for including malt finished in umeshu casks, which gives it a soft, fruity sweetness not found in other Hibiki.
About This Whisky
Hibiki 12 brought together more than 30 malt and grain whiskies, with malts of at least 12 years from Yamazaki and Hakushu and grain whisky from Chita. Part of the malt spent time in casks that had held umeshu, Japanese plum liqueur, and the blend was topped up with a small amount of whisky aged over 30 years. It was then filtered through bamboo charcoal and bottled at 43%. Once aged stocks tightened it was replaced by the no-age-statement Japanese Harmony in 2015.
Tasting Profile
- Nose: Plum, pineapple and honey, with vanilla custard and a little orange peel.
- Palate: Soft and velvety, with stone fruit, gentle spice, butterscotch and light oak.
- Finish: Medium to long, with lingering sweetness and a touch of cinnamon.
Serving & Food
Try it neat and slightly cool in a rocks glass, or with one large ice cube for a slower sip. A splash of chilled soda turns it into a light aperitif. It pairs nicely with plum-glazed pork, yakitori with tare, or an almond tart.
How to Enjoy
Drinkers who remember the original umeshu-cask Hibiki and anyone curious about the age-stated blend before it disappeared.
Product Details
Producer: House of Suntory
Blend Components: Yamazaki, Hakushu and Chita whiskies
Style: Blended Japanese whisky
Age Statement: 12 years old
Casks: Includes whisky matured in umeshu casks
Filtration: Bamboo charcoal
Country: Japan
ABV: 43%
Proof: 86
Volume: 750mL
About the Distillery
Suntory began in 1899, when Shinjiro Torii opened a shop in Osaka selling imported wine. A sweet fortified wine called Akadama followed in 1907, and in 1923 Torii built Yamazaki, the first malt whisky distillery in Japan.
Blending has been at the centre of the house ever since. Hibiki arrived in 1989 for the company's 90th anniversary, and the 12 Year Old was added twenty years later to mark the brand's second decade. It had its world launch in London in May 2009, several months before Japan.