Suntory

Suntory Whisky – The Soul of Japanese Whisky

The Hibikibrand is not a standalone distillery, but rather the most prestigious blended whisky portfolio of the Japanese drinks giant Suntory. Suntory itself looks back on a long tradition that began in 1899 with the opening of a wine shop by the pioneer Shinjiro Torii. His vision of creating a whisky modelled on the Scottish style, yet one that would appeal to the refined Japanese palate, led to the founding in 1923 of the Yamazaki Distillery – Japan’s first whisky distillery.

Hibiki was born in 1989, when the brand was developed by the then Master Blender Keizo Saji and Chief Blender Koichi Inatomi to mark Suntory’s90th anniversary. The name ‘Hibiki’ means‘echo’ or‘sound’ in Japaneseand symbolises the harmony that lies at the heart of these whiskies.

The artistry of Hibiki lies in the masterful composition of whiskiesfrom three different Suntorydistilleries. The Yamazaki and Hakushu distilleries are used for the malts , whilst the grain whisky comes from the Chita distillery. This complex blend is matured in a wide variety of casks, including American white oak, Spanish oak and the coveted Japanese Mizunara oak.

This approach has proved extremely successful. Hibiki is now regarded as the world’smost award-winning Japanese blended whisky. The 21-year-old expression has been named ‘World’s Best Blended Whisky’ on several occasions at the World Whiskies Awards.

But Hibiki is more than just a drink; it is an expression of Japanese aesthetics. The design of the iconic 24-facetedbottle symbolises the 24 hours of the day and the 24 seasons of the traditional Japanese calendar . The label is crafted from fine washi paper and embellished with masterful calligraphy. This dedication to detail makes Hibiki a true‘orchestra in aglass’, in which every single component harmonises perfectly.