Whisky: Hibiki Japanese Harmony Master’s Select
Producer: Beam-Suntory
Distillery: Yamazaki, Hakushu, and Chita
Region: N/A
Whisky Type: Japanese Blend
Age: NAS
ABV: 43%
Aged in Cask: Five cask types
Price Range: $$
Gone are the days when you could buy a Japanese Blend from Suntory with an age statement for under $80. Suntory’s first international award came in 2003 when Yamazaki’s 12-Year-Old Single Malt won a gold medal in the International Spirits Challenge. Since around 2013, prices for a Japanese Whisky with an age statement (not just Suntory’s) have become ridiculously pricey due to high global demand.
Suntory’s response to the shortage of older whiskies was to create new blends with younger whiskies without an age statement, also known as NAS for Non-age-statements. With this in mind, Suntory launched in 2015 the Hibiki brand.
Hibiki Japanese Harmony Master’s Select comes in a nice-looking decanter-like bottle with 24 sides, symbolizing the 24 seasons in the Japanese calendar. The blend contains 10 single malts from Hakushu Distillery (known for its complex floral, herbal, and fruit flavors), Chita Distillery (known for its wide variety of grain whiskies with different degrees of intensity), and the iconic Yamazaki Distillery, provide power and depth to the blend.
Hibiki means “Resonance” in Japanese. The brand launched in 1989, and it’s known for its floral and delicate fruit aromas. Here are the blends in the Hibiki range:
- Hibiki Harmony (NAS)
- Hibiki Harmony Master’s Select (NAS)
- Hibiki 12-Years-Old (Discontinued in 2015 and no longer on Suntory’s website)
- Hibiki 17-Years-Old
- Hibiki 21-Years-Old
- Hibiki 30-Years Old
Tasting Notes for Hibiki Japanese Harmony Master’s Select
Hibiki Japanese Harmony Master’s Select is a Travel Retail Exclusive. Bottled at 43% ABV and uses five different types of casks. Some are American Oak ex-bourbon, American Oak ex-sherry, and Japanese Mizunara Oak. The Master’s Select name alludes to Suntory’s Master Blender, Shinji Fukuyo, the man responsible for resurrecting Suntory’s Kakubin whisky (learn the story here) sales in 2007 by re-positioning the blend to a younger generation of Japanese consumers in the form of a highball (1/4 whisky, and 3/4 water) and handpicking the barrels for this blend.
Nose: Delicate floral and sweet nose.
Palate: Light and fresh floral arrival. I really like the notes of apple, melon, and raisins. There is also a slight touch of oak.
Finish: Short and refreshing with caramel notes.
Conclusion:
The draw of this blend is its versatility. When enjoyed neat, you will notice the classic floral and fruit notes of a well-crafted whisky that asks you to pour some more. When enjoyed as a highball, you will still taste some fruit flavors with a light and refreshing tone. That said, I prefer this whisky neat, as you will lose half the fun if you add too much water.
If you would like to learn more about Ice in Whisky and the Japanese Highball, click on this link: https://thewhiskyknights.com/using-ice-in-whiskey
The blend pairs well with fish or sushi because it complements the oily fat-rich flavors of the salmon without not overpowering the experience.
If you would like to learn more about pairing food with whisky, click here: https://thewhiskyknights.com/best-whiskies-food-pairing/
Score: 3.5/5⭐
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Legend
$50 or less $
$51-$100 $$
$101-$150 $$$
$151 or more $$$$
