The ultimate symphony of harmony: Deconstructing how Suntory's "Hibiki 21 Year Old" blends Yamazaki, Hakushu, and Chita original whiskies to present a complex and harmonious flavor like a musical movement.

First Movement: The Core Philosophy of Harmony and Resonance

The word "Hibiki" in Japanese means "harmony" and "resonance." This brand is a premium blended whisky launched by Suntory in 1989 to celebrate its 90th anniversary.

The creation of "Hibiki 21 Year Old" was imbued with an artistic flair. According to records, Koichi Inatomi, Suntory's second-generation master blender, had a deep passion for classical music, which he incorporated into the creation of this whisky, reflecting his love for the viola and symphonies. He even found inspiration in the beautiful melody of the fourth movement of Brahms's Symphony No. 1, which inspired the captivating aromas of "Hibiki 21 Year Old." It is precisely because of this unique inspiration that "Hibiki 21 Year Old" is hailed as "extremely luxurious, as harmonious as a symphony."

In addition, the bottle design of the "Hibiki" series also reflects Japan's unique aesthetics and concept of time: the 24 facets on the crystal glass bottle symbolize the 24 solar terms in Japan, showing the precious significance of time for the maturation of whisky.

The Orchestra: Raw Materials - A Complex Blend of Top-Quality Spirits

An exceptional blended whisky's complexity and depth depend on the blender's careful selection and use of the spirits.

The base spirit for "Hibiki 21 Year Old" primarily comes from Suntory's three core distilleries, each with its own distinct function, providing a unique flavor base:

1. Yamazaki: Located in Kyoto, it offers aromatic sake as the core base for blends.
2. Hakushu: Built in the forest, it offers a refreshing taste and a smooth aroma.
3. Chita: Located in Aichi Prefecture, it specializes in producing high-quality raw grain sake, responsible for highlighting and harmonizing the overall flavor to achieve balance.

Luxury blending standards:

The "Hibiki 21 Year Old" boasts an extremely luxurious blending standard: it is primarily composed of pure malt spirit aged for over 21 years in Yamazaki white oak casks, blended with carefully selected grain spirits also aged over 21 years . Some critics have noted that the base character of this spirit is reportedly derived from Yamazaki sherry casks.

The diversity of oak barrels:

To achieve ultimate complexity, the "Hibiki 21 Year Old" spirit was aged in various oak barrels, including American ex-Bourbon barrels, European ex-Sherry barrels, and precious Japanese Mizunara barrels. The influence of Mizunara gives this spirit a unique oriental character, bringing aromas of spices, incense, or sandalwood.

Third Movement: The Climax: Tasting Notes

"Xiang 21 Years" presents a rich, mellow, and harmonious taste, like a musical movement, through the ultimate blending and technology.

Aroma (Nose):

• It is full of sweet, gorgeous, numerous and complex mature aromas.
• The aroma is dense and rich, like the sweet fragrance of a blooming bouquet.
• You can smell caramelized nuts, citric acid, blackcurrants, pear, vanilla, blackcurrant, and rich sherry spices.
• One review described it as smelling like a "deeply sweet and greasy fruitcake," with layers of stewed strawberries, blackberries, and delicious peach cobbler.

Texture (Palate):

• It is extremely versatile on the palate, mellow and rich, with a noble charm that can only be cultivated through long-term aging.
• The flavor is bold and interesting, with notes of oak, black cherry, sweet caramel, butter, and a hint of smokiness and woody spices.
• It is full of the sweetness of cinnamon and baked goods, as well as the aroma of ripe fruit.
• The spicy incense brought by Mizunara wood is also a distinctive feature.

Finish:

• The ending note is long and satisfying.
• The aroma of flowers and fruits lingers on the tongue, with a hint of smokiness and woody spices, leaving a lingering and delicate finish.
  

Fourth Movement: The Standing Ovation: Acclaim and Investment

The exceptional quality of "Xiang 21 Year Old" has made it a frequent winner of world whisky awards, thus establishing its extremely high collectible value.

• The King of Blended Whisky: It has won the "World's Best Blended Whisky" award 6 times at the WWA (World Whisky Awards) (5 of which are for the 21-year-old series, for a total of 8 awards).
• High score certification: Awarded a very high rating of 96 points by Jim Murray's Whisky Bible 2014.
• ISC Gold Medal: It has won the ISC (International Spirits Competition) gold medal multiple times, such as in 2004, 2005, and 2006.
• Top-tier collectible: In the investment world, it has been regarded as a "gold-level collectible" for 21 years. It has extremely high liquidity in the secondary market (Liquidity Score of approximately 97.04%), proving that it is easy to resell, making it an option that combines value preservation and liquidity.
• Scarcity: Due to the tight global supply of aged whisky, "Hibiki 21 Year Old" remains extremely difficult to find on the market, even though it has not been officially discontinued, and its price continues to rise.

WSSJ Professional Buyback Advice: Investment-grade buyback for 21 years

As a specialized dealer of premium whiskies, WSSJ has in-depth knowledge of the market value of "Hibiki 21 Year Old". Its rarity, international reputation, and blended complexity make it one of the most stable Japanese whisky investments.

Collectors must understand that the value retention of top-quality whiskies depends not only on the brand itself but also on proper storage: avoid direct sunlight, avoid excessive moisture, and ensure the label is clean and intact. These details directly affect the final purchase price. We suggest that if you are collecting a special edition, such as "Kacho Fugetsu" or "Mount Fuji Limited Edition," its rarity and market value will be higher than the standard edition due to its even smaller production volume.

If you have a rare "Hibiki 21 Year Old" or other vintage "Hibiki" series bottle (such as the extremely rare "Hibiki 30 Year Old," which is produced in only a few thousand bottles per year), and would like to know its market value and professional buyback service, please feel free to contact us at Westlife .

WSSJ: Top-Tier Whisky Buyback Experts

"The Sound of 21 Years" is not only worth appreciating, but also a sound investment asset. If you are considering converting your treasured "Sound of 21 Years" series into cash, please contact us immediately.

Whether your whisky is the "Xiang 21 Year Old" standard edition, the "Flower, Bird, Wind and Moon" limited edition, or an even rarer high-aged whisky, we offer free appraisal and will purchase it for cash at the most professional and fair wholesale prices.

Please note: Based on today's exchange rate, we will provide you with a quote in Hong Kong dollars according to the real-time international market price. For example, based on recent market data, a bottle of "Xiang 21 Year Old" in perfect condition is worth approximately NT$18,000 to NT$35,000 or higher. We will convert this price into Hong Kong dollars according to the exchange rate of the day to ensure you receive the highest acquisition value in the industry.

Contact us now to turn your treasured collection into cash at a high price!

Contact information: WhatsApp: (852)46135750