Hibiki 17 Year Old is the long-running aged blend of the Hibiki line, here in a 50mL miniature. Suntory stopped selling it in Japan in 2018 after running short of aged stock, so a small bottle is an easy way to taste it.
About This Whisky
Malt whiskies from Yamazaki and Hakushu are joined by grain whisky from Chita, with every component aged for at least 17 years. Early releases drew on more than 30 whiskies, including some malt matured in casks that had previously held umeshu, the Japanese plum liqueur. It is bottled at 43% ABV.
Tasting Profile
- Nose: Honey, apricot and orange peel, with a light floral lift and a little sandalwood.
- Palate: Silky and rounded, with baked peach, toffee, vanilla and gentle oak spice.
- Finish: Long and sweet, with a trace of incense and dried citrus.
Serving & Food
Serve at room temperature in a tulip-shaped glass and let it rest briefly before the first sip. A little cool still water brings the fruit forward. Try it with grilled unagi, a plate of aged Comté, or a slice of yuzu cheesecake.
How to Enjoy
Anyone curious about where Hibiki began, and those who prefer a soft, fruit-led blend to a heavily sherried one.
Product Details
Producer: Suntory Hibiki
Country: Japan
Category: Japanese blended whisky
Age: 17 years old
ABV: 43%
Volume: 50mL miniature
Status: Discontinued age-stated expression
About the Distillery
The idea came from Keizo Saji, Suntory's master blender and company head, who in 1987 set out to make a blend that would show what the house could do. His chief blender, Koichi Inatomi, worked through Suntory's aged stocks to find the right components, and the finished whisky went on sale in 1989 to mark ninety years since the company was founded.
The name means resonance, and the idea was a blend in which no single whisky dominates. The kanji on the label was brushed by the calligrapher Ogino Tansetsu.