Hibiki – A whisky so delicious it leaves you speechless
To understand Hibiki whisky, one must first start with the company. Suntory is the leading enterprise in Japanese whisky. For those seeking the pure taste of Japanese whisky, the whiskies produced by this group are definitely the top choice.
Suntory owns three core Japanese whisky brands: Yamazaki, Hakushu, and Hibiki. The first two brands are single malt whiskies, while Hibiki is currently the world's most expensive blended whisky.
Hibiki whisky is a blend of aged whiskies selected from the Yamazaki, Hakushu, and Chita distilleries. Its name comes from an ancient saying, "harmony between people and nature." The unique faceted bottle design symbolizes the changing of time. The traditional Chinese character "Hibiki" on the label was written by the famous calligrapher Tanzan Hoshino, and even the paper used, Echizen washi, is of historical significance. If you wish to know the current buyback price, please refer to the HIBIKI 17 Kacho Fugetsu page for the latest quotation.
"Hibiki" is a whisky brand launched by Suntory Japan in 1989 to celebrate its 90th anniversary. In the World Whisky Awards (WWA, dubbed the "Oscars of the Whisky Era"), Hibiki has won 8 times out of 14 editions (Hibiki 30 Year Old won 3 times, Hibiki 21 Year Old won 5 times), truly earning its title as the king of blended whiskies, and consistently holding the top spot as the world's most expensive blended whisky on Wine-Searcher.
Below is a detailed introduction to each expression in the Hibiki series:
Hibiki Japanese Harmony Blended Whisky
Hibiki Japanese Harmony Blended Whisky
Hibiki Japanese Harmony Blended Whisky combines over 12 malt and grain whiskies from Suntory's Yamazaki, Hakushu, and Chita distilleries. Malt whiskies aged in American white oak barrels lay a solid foundation, while rare Mizunara (Japanese oak) and sherry cask malt whiskies add richness.
Hibiki Japanese Harmony Master’s Select Blended Whisky
Hibiki Japanese Harmony Master’s Select Blended Whisky
HIBIKI Japanese Harmony Master's Select combines at least 10 types of malt and grain whiskies, aged in 5 different types of casks. Under the supervision of the third-generation master blender and great-grandson of the founder, SHINGO TORII, and cultivated by the fourth chief blender, Shinji Fukuyo, it blends the noble and harmonious characteristics of Yamazaki sherry casks, incorporating over 10 original whiskies from Yamazaki, Hakushu, and Chita distilleries, including the world-renowned Yamazaki sherry cask whisky.
Hibiki Blender's Choice Blended Whisky
Hibiki Blender's Choice Blended Whisky
Hibiki Blender's Choice whisky is a blend of unaged whiskies from different years, including whiskies matured for over 30 years, with an average age of about 15 years. Suntory also selected whiskies matured in wine barrels for this blend, hoping to give Blender's Choice a smooth, balanced, yet complex flavor.
Hibiki Japanese Harmony Masters Select Limited Edition Blended Whisky
Hibiki Japanese Harmony Masters Select Limited Edition Blended Whisky
The bottle and packaging design celebrate the "artistry of Japanese culture." The "artistic and refined" design features cherry blossoms, imperial carriages, or flowing water.
Hibiki 17 Year Old Blended Whisky
Launched in 1989, Hibiki 17 Year Old is a blend of over 30 long-aged malt and grain whiskies, all aged for at least 17 years.
Hibiki 17 Year Old has been discontinued, so it's genuinely recommended to grab one whenever you see it.
Hibiki 17 Year Old has been discontinued, so it's genuinely recommended to grab one whenever you see it.
Hibiki 17 Years Old Kacho Fugetsu Limited Edition Japanese Blended Whisky
Hibiki 17 Years Old Kacho Fugetsu Limited Edition Japanese Blended Whisky
Hibiki 17 Year Old Kacho Fugetsu Limited Edition, released in 2016, with a production of no more than 1000 bottles.
Hibiki 21 Year Old Blended Whisky
Hibiki 21 Year Old Blended Whisky
This whisky has won the title of World's Best Blended Whisky 5 times at the WWA, making it a well-deserved core product of the brand.
Hibiki 21 Year Old was also one of the two whiskies launched when the brand was established in 1989. In addition to its excellent quality, the packaging is also meticulously crafted, presented in a crystal bottle with 24 facets, and adorned with a carefully produced Echizen washi label, earning it attention upon its release. The 24 facets perfectly represent the 24 hours in a day and the 24 solar terms in a year, symbolizing the importance of time to whisky.
Hibiki 21 Year Old was also one of the two whiskies launched when the brand was established in 1989. In addition to its excellent quality, the packaging is also meticulously crafted, presented in a crystal bottle with 24 facets, and adorned with a carefully produced Echizen washi label, earning it attention upon its release. The 24 facets perfectly represent the 24 hours in a day and the 24 solar terms in a year, symbolizing the importance of time to whisky.
Hibiki 21 Year Old Kacho Fugetsu Limited Edition Whisky
Kacho Fugetsu in Hibiki 21 Year Old Kacho Fugetsu whisky means flowers, birds, wind, and moon in Japanese. The bottle design represents the beautiful natural scenery of Japan.
Hibiki 21 Year Old Mount Fuji Limited Edition, including the first edition, was only available in Japan, limited to 2000 bottles; there was also a second edition, a duty-free version, also limited to 2000 bottles.
Hibiki 21 Year Old Mount Fuji Limited Edition, including the first edition, was only available in Japan, limited to 2000 bottles; there was also a second edition, a duty-free version, also limited to 2000 bottles.
Hibiki 30 Year Old Blended Whisky
Hibiki 30 Year Old Blended Whisky
This whisky, launched in 1997, is a blend of whiskies aged over 30 years from Yamazaki and Hakushu distilleries, primarily matured in North American white oak barrels, and grain whiskies aged over 30 years from the Chita distillery. All production processes for this whisky are completed by hand, with only a few thousand bottles produced annually, each with a serial number. The bottle design is also more exquisite, featuring 30 facets on the crystal bottle to represent the 30 years of aging in oak barrels, and an Echizen washi label with embedded gold leaf.
Hibiki 35 Year Old Blended Whisky
Hibiki 35 Year Old Blended Whisky
The status of Hibiki 35 Year Old is akin to Yamazaki 50 Year Old; it's released as a limited edition, with only 150 bottles released each time, making it primarily available at auctions. The whisky is a blend of whiskies aged between 35 and 46 years, housed in specially designed ceramic bottles.
In 2017, Suntory launched a pair of bottles to commemorate the 400th anniversary of Japanese porcelain, crafted using Arita-yaki and Kutani-yaki techniques, depicting peony and butterfly motifs on the bottles.
In 2017, Suntory launched a pair of bottles to commemorate the 400th anniversary of Japanese porcelain, crafted using Arita-yaki and Kutani-yaki techniques, depicting peony and butterfly motifs on the bottles.
What information should I prepare before an appraisal?
To understand the value of your collection, it is recommended to prepare information on the year, edition, box and certificates, and preservation status, which will help determine its market liquidity.
If you are considering selling whisky or have any questions about whisky buyback, please feel free to consult us!
Further reading
- Further reading: Whisky buyback Case StudyFrom Whisky Enthusiast to New Dad: The Perfect Handover of Four Special Edition "Hibiki"
- Also featuring: Hibiki 30 and 35 Year Old Arita-yaki: Analyzing the Leading Position of These Artistic Bottled Whiskies in the buyback Market
- Learn more: 2024-2026 Japanese Whisky Market Analysis: Why "Hibiki" and "Yamazaki" Remain Popular in the Hong Kong buyback Market?
- Current buyback quotation: Hibiki 12 Kacho Fugetsu
- Check buyback price: Hibiki 21 Year Old
- View the complete series: Hibiki Series buyback Overview
To understand the value of your collection, it is recommended to prepare information on the year, edition, box and certificates, and preservation status, which will help determine its market liquidity.
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