Hibiki Suntory 17 Year Old Japanese Blended Whisky: A few weeks back I had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Tatsuya Minagawa, who is the Suntory brand ambassador for Europe. Japan’s whisky litre output is the third largest in the world; something I wasn’t aware of until meeting Mr. Minagawa. As for this 17 Year Old Hibiki which is aged in Mizunara casks – on the nose: you’ll get a wonderful waft of sweet apples, followed by mixed spices and vanilla pod. Suggestions of oak, liquorice and peat will start to creep in. On the palate: those sweet apple notes will be confirmed, with the a sharp burst of oak and the peaty flavour will make it’s presence more known. Those lingering spices will start to emerge with a faint hint of liquorice. The finish: is very smooth with a milky texture and long-lasting peat!
The verdict: This blended, Japanese whisky is absolutely superb! Filled with character from nose to finish. Although this is not a single malt scotch, it has to be enjoyed straight, or with a very small amount of mineral water to allow the flavours to breathe and I strongly suggest doing both – as this will open the door to the plethora of notes available.
Hibiki Suntory 17 Year Old Japanese Blended Whisky can be found online at The Whisky Shop for approximately £93
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