Taste testing Suntory’s 100th anniversary Hibiki 21 whisky at US$5,000 a bottle
A CENTURY ago, Shinjiro Torii began distilling whisky in an idyllic valley north-east of Osaka. The liquid he laid down there would eventually reach the bottle as Yamazaki, which today is one of the most sought-after spirits on earth. The single malt is the crown jewel of Suntory, the Japanese brewing and distillery company that grew from there into a global powerhouse.
Nevertheless, crafting a sensational single malt was never his ultimate goal, according to brand ambassadors. Torii’s idea of whisky perfection was instead rooted in the beauty of the blend: bringing grain and malt components together in exacting proportions. Which is why he’d be quite heartened to sip his company’s latest release, an exceptionally balanced, limited-edition Hibiki 21 Japanese blended whisky.
It lands on shelves this season only, a commemoration of Suntory’s 100th anniversary, and will be frustratingly scarce. But if you’re lucky enough to land your hands on the US$5,000 bottle, here’s what you can expect to uncork.
“We managed to harness the challenging-yet-rewarding characteristics of Japanese mizunara oak to accentuate the unique flavour profile for which our Hibiki whiskies are known,” Suntory chief blender Shinji Fukuyo says in press materials for the Hibiki 21 Anniversary Edition.
Mizunara barrels are built from a special breed of old-growth oak, native to Japan’s northern island of Hokkaido. Over time, they impart incense-like aromas and flavours upon well-aged whisky. But the timber is notoriously finicky for fashioning into casks. And it must come from trees that are at least 200 years old. As a result, they’re exceedingly rare commodities in today’s whisky trade.
The new liquid wears a light copper cast in the glass, unlike the mahogany hue of the standard Hibiki 21 offering. When poured into a snifter, it initially gives off aromas of dank, mossy earth. If you let it sit for several minutes, exposure to oxygen encourages these notes to evolve into something along the lines of sapwood and pear.
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The Hibiki 21 Anniversary Edition is far lighter in body, and more delicate in execution, than its everyday counterpart. Absent are the deeper, darker fruits – meaning Fukuyo likely relied less heavily on sherried casks sourced from Yamazaki.
In their place are toasted rice, matcha and the signature sandalwood tones typifying mizunara-aged malts. It’s oily in mouthfeel, but not lush. And there’s a slight whisper of salinity in the finish – perhaps even a seaweed sort of brininess – and no discernible traces of tar or peat.
Although the “regular” Hibiki 21 and this limited-edition variant share the same age statement, and both clock in at 43 per cent alcohol by volume (the standard proof point for virtually all Suntory releases), that’s pretty much where the similarities end. Fukuyo has adopted a radically different approach for this bottling, elevating finesse and subtlety over lacquer and leather.
Maybe the most striking point of differentiation is worn around the collar of these respective bottles. The flagship Hibiki 21 is usually available for around US$1,100 a bottle, far lower than the US$5,000 anniversary edition. So you’d better have a considerable preference for mizunara over sherry if you’re willing to surrender to such a significant upcharge.
Or perhaps you’re hauling this one in simply as a collector’s piece. In that case, the flavour of the liquid is almost irrelevant. It’s hard to argue with the investment strategy. All limited releases from the House of Suntory have seen significant value increases over the past half-decade. Earlier this year the brand unveiled 100th anniversary one-offs of its Yamazaki 18 and Hakushu 18 expressions. Both are already fetching double their original retail price.
The centennial Hibiki will sit prettier than the rest on any back-bar, too. As with all Hibiki bottlings, its rounded glass is bevelled into 24 facets, representing the two dozen seasons of the old Japanese lunar calendar. But this one features special labelling with a golden-tinged inlay. It sits within a wood-grained box, bound in a red, corded ribbon.
If this liquid does indeed honour Torii’s initial vision, however, it could only do so in each sip. When he conjured his ideal whisky a century ago, he’d have never wanted someone to simply stare at it.
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