Hibiki 17 Year Old

Mar 23

Hibiki as a Suntory brand was launched in 1989 to celebrate the art of Japanese whisky-making…as I said in my Hibiki Harmony review, I consider this a perfect expression of that, with delicacy, intention, complexity, and clarity all falling into place. Since its introduction, the blended (NAS), Master’s Selection (a notch up from the “regular” Hibiki Harmony), 17-, 21-, and 30-year expressions have all been introduced (the latter for their 30th anniversary in 2019).

As the first age-stated Hibiki product, it’s pretty impressive that 17 is the base age (important side note: Japanese whisky laws are notoriously lax around importing and relabeling, but by-and-large the companies otherwise abide in spirit by Scottish laws, meaning a 17-year age statement = the youngest whisky in the blend is at least 17 years old). Suntory’s other main brands - Hakushu and Yamazaki - start at 12, but both are single malts rather than blends, and there are things you can blend out that you can’t hide in a single malt.

Adding to that, even the 17-year age statement is a stretch right now with Japanese whisky going through a massive interest increase and equally drastic drawdown of aged stock. The Hibiki Harmony was never in danger of disappearing because there was no age statement, but the same can’t be said for the 17. Even so, perhaps it had a better chance of short-term survival again because it’s a blend. A barrel that doesn’t fit as a single malt or is otherwise off can be aged another few years and blended.

Hibiki’s line is also a masterclass in bottle design. Every bottle of Hibiki is a decanter-level shelf piece, with 24 facets representing both 24 hours in a day and the 24 seasons (Sekki) of the Japanese calendar. The label is also designed to mimic washi paper, which has a 1,500-year tradition in Japan. The anniversary bottles and special releases - especially the Mt. Fuji bottlings and the 30th Anniversary - are decorated directly onto the glass, somehow adding to the beauty and making the whiskey within part of the artwork.

For now - in 2021 - you’ll pay a lot for one of these bottles. While the MSRP for a Hibiki 17 is $150, figure on paying at least around $600 if not higher. Between the low supply and increasingly high demand, it’ll be several years before the prices come back down, if ever.

Hibiki 17 Year Old: Specs

Classification: Blended Japanese Whisky

Origin: Various Suntory Distilleries

Mashbill: Varied

Proof: 86 (43% ABV)

Age: NAS

Location: Japan

Hibiki 17 Year Old Price: $150 (retail)

Official Website

Hibiki 17 Year Old Review: Tasting Notes

Eye: Light straw color, thick rims and legs.

Nose: Savory and sweet. Honey glazed peaches with strong black licorice. Smoke in the background with a slight salinity. Vanilla on the last sniff - maybe from a barrel?

Palate: Smoke hits the palate right away with tip-of-the-tongue burn. Tastes like Highland-style peat with the mild salinity and petrichor notes. Thick, custardy mouthfeel with yuzu and a chewable texture.

Finish: Long, smoky and citrusy - the yuzu comes out stronger with a pleasant, lingering burn.

Overall: A beautiful Japanese blend that drinks like a lightly peated Highland Scotch with more body. Less sweet than a typical malted whisky, too, maybe because of the age. I’m not aware of any special aging casks (other than the ex-bourbon casks that most world whiskies use for the majority of their stocks), so the blend itself gets to shine through. Excellent.

Final Rating: 8.0

10 | Insurpassable | Nothing Else Comes Close (Blanton’s Straight from the Barrel)

9 | Incredible | Extraordinary (GTS, Elijah Craig Barrel Proof B518 and B520)

8 | Excellent | Exceptional (12+YO MGP Bourbon, Highland Park Single Barrels)

7 | Great | Well above average (Blanton’s Original, Old Weller Antique, Booker’s)

6 | Very Good | Better than average (Four Roses Small Batch Select, Knob Creek 14+ YO Picks)

5 | Good | Good, solid, ordinary (Elijah Craig Small Batch, Buffalo Trace, Old Grand-Dad Bottled-in-Bond)

4 | Sub-par | Many things I’d rather have (A.D. Laws Four Grain, Compass Box “Oak Cross”)

3 | Bad | Flawed (Iron Smoke Bourbon, Balcones)

2 | Poor | Forced myself to drink it (Buckshee Bourbon and Rye)

1 | Disgusting | Drain pour (Virginia Distilling Co. Cider Cask)