Suntory time weekend edition - A dream made of wood: testing Hibiki 21-year-old

Is there a better place to try Hibiki 21-year-old than the Yamazaki distillery named after the suburb of Kyoto? The faded red brick buildings from the 1950s are nestled into the densely vegetated hillside. From the main building's towering chimneys, it reminds one visually of an Art Déco radio. A Buddhist shrine is located right behind the distillery in the forest. From the nearby large cities of Kyoto and Osaka, you do not sense this sleepy place at all. - Maybe a dream which will once come true to visit the birthplace of the Hibiki Whiskey.

Yamazaki distillery Japan
http://whisky.suntory.com/en/distilleries/yamazaki/

Subsequently, the Hibiki 21-year-old has been practically sold out worldwide. On the auction platforms, the bids reach from 400 to over 750 or even 1,000 USD per bottle. No price seems too unrealistic to boldly claim the prize.

Hibiki 21 tasting
One of the most sought-after blends in the world entirely inconspicuous in the glass.

Tasting of the Hibiki 21-year-old

How does it smell?

This whiskey needs no warm-up time: mature and deep, full and rich, the Hibiki 21 reveals its class. The aroma of dried plums and flan are clearly recognizable. Reminds one of a piece of St Galler cloister cake from Switzerland. Many raspberries, some black berries. On top of that wood, a lot of wood. An entire collection of delicate wood contributes its spicy, subtle scent. I have never before detected in a whiskey this depth of wood so intensively and remarkably. The Hibiki 21 illustrates its maturity with lemon rinds, raisins, caramel, and wild honey and finds its high point with pear compote, peach, and cacao. It is, without a doubt, one of the most complex whiskeys that I have ever had up to my nose.

How does it taste?

In terms of taste, for the 21-year-old Hibiki, the fruits are the first to be encountered. This surprises at first but this constituted the backbone of the blend during the nosing. There are complex wood notes in all facets. Fine veneers on the tongue and no trace of wood storage or the building center: that is the workshop of a true master. The many layers of wood make the whiskey dry, a solemn and grown-up taste pervade the Japanese. Dried fruits occasionally shine through, as well as a spicy herbal note, that evokes tarragon. I think I also noticed a little thyme and cinnamon. The spiciness of Hibiki 21 culminates in a lightly peppery sharpness that is undoubtedly also caused by the wood. This whiskey has been in the barrel a long time — and that has made it damn fine.

So the question now would be what is next as we are already at a top Level but be warned there is as well a HIBIKI 30 and I have had already a once in a lifetime chance to taste it in a bar in Zurich - it was just a nip and it was an explosion of aromas from the world never ever been touched before. But this story will not be revealed now. I have there something special about this topic for the month of August, so follow me and stay excited.

If you ask now yourself how much more one can pay for a bottle of Whiskey which is 30 years old. If we talk about Hibiki 30 we are talking there at a range of around 2600 to 4000 USD. The question there is more about the willingness of selling a piece of fine art one has just for the sake of having it. Bottles like this should only be opened at occasions such as Weddings or Birth of your first child, but that is just my opinion.

Happy #weekend drinking