
Country: Japan
Distilellery: Hibiki
Type: Blended Whisky
Age: NAS
Cask: American white oak, sherry and Mizunara
ABV: 45%
Proof: 90
Price: $75
Nose: Orange blossom, apricot marmelade, subtle spices with shaved oak. Some young feeling also jumps out. Giving some time to oxygen brings out cloves and cinnamon.
Palate: Light bodied, honey-like sweetness with apricots, orange peel and grapefruit. Balanced and peppery at the end.
Finish: Lingering, Mizunara impact with coconut, flowers and orange like citrus.
Hibiki Japanese Harmony is a good example of a passageway whisky to Japanese whiskies. It totally doesn't reveal the full quality of a well made and aged Japanese single malt but it feels like this non age statement bottle successfully fulfills what it is created for.
Single malt whiskies from Yamazaki and Hakushu distilleries are blended with grain whisky from Chita distillery. I had the chance to join the Hibiki Seminar at Whisky Fest New York last year which Shinji Fukuyo presented breaking down Hibiki Japanese Harmony to its heart.
To be honest, I was impressed with some of the individual malts, more than the blend.
24 faceted bottle represents the 24 Japanese seasons. A light and approachable whisky.
My favorite whisky from Hibiki is Hibiki 17 which I can feel all the richness of the whisky. I mean, if you ever find Hibiki 30 year old, just don't be a snob and try it of course.