Hibiki, derived from the ancient Japanese phrase "harmony and resonance between man and nature," is a blended whisky brand launched in 1989 by the long-established Japanese company Suntory to commemorate its 90th anniversary. Along with Yamazaki and Hakushu, it is one of Suntory's three major whisky brands and is currently managed by its subsidiary, Beam Suntory Inc. Since its inception, Hibiki has been regarded as a paragon of Japanese whisky art.
In 1987, Keizo Saji, then owner and chief blender of Suntory, decided to develop a blended whisky to showcase Suntory's masterful brewing techniques. Koichi Inatomi, Suntory's chief blender, tasted tens of thousands of different malt whisky samples from the distillery. Ultimately, Saji and Inatomi selected 30 whiskies for blending. Although it blends 30 different whiskies, the final blend has a harmonious taste, perfectly combining Japanese nature and craftsmanship. To this day, in order to create an even more subtle and delicate whisky, Hibiki's blenders taste more than 300 samples of malt whisky every day.
Hibiki is a blended whisky made from a rich variety of spirits. The spirits are produced by three different distilleries in different regions: Yamazaki Distillery (Japan's first distillery in Kyoto), Hakushu Distillery (built in a forest), and Chita Distillery (specializing in grain whisky). Hibiki doesn't have its own dedicated distillery; instead, it blends spirits from these Suntory-owned distilleries. Generally, blended whiskies are cheaper than single whiskies, but Hibiki has earned high praise and recognition in the market thanks to the experience and skill of its blenders.
Hibiki whisky is dedicated to preserving traditional Japanese culture. Every element of the Hibiki bottle is meticulously crafted by hand, perfectly reflecting Japan's natural beauty and artistic aesthetics. The bottle features 24 facets, symbolizing the 24 solar terms and the 24 hours of the day, all closely related to the brewing process. The label uses simple Echizen washi paper with the calligraphy of "Hibiki" written by renowned calligrapher Tanyuki Hagino, conveying the worldview of Japanese whisky. A deep purple band encircles the neck of the bottle. In Japan, deep purple is considered the noblest color. These carefully designed details highlight the elegance and sophistication of Hibiki whisky, while also showcasing the exceptional craftsmanship of Suntory's artisans. Hibiki truly deserves its reputation as a paragon of Japanese whisky art.
Hibiki is a highly acclaimed blended whisky brand in Japan, and one of the most prestigious and respected whisky brands in the world. In 1989, Hibiki launched its first whisky in the United States—Hibiki 17 Years Old. Subsequently, Hibiki released blended whiskies such as Hibiki 21 Years Old and Hibiki 30 Years Old. In July 2015, Hibiki also released a whisky without a specified aging period—Hibiki Japanese Harmony, which encapsulates the brand spirit and praises Suntory's corporate philosophy of "harmony between humanity and nature." While the "Hibiki 12 Years Old" and "Hibiki 17 Years Old" from the Hibiki series were very popular, their production was discontinued due to insufficient supply of the whisky requiring long maturation, resulting in a significant price increase. Furthermore, Hibiki whiskies have also performed exceptionally well in international competitions, consistently achieving outstanding results and winning numerous international awards such as the San Francisco World Spirits Competition Gold Medal, the International Wine & Spirit Competition Gold Medal, and the International Spirits Challenge Gold Medal. Moreover, the limited stock of raw spirits and consistently low production volumes have resulted in consistently high prices, making it one of the world's most expensive blended whisky brands.
