Suntory Hibiki 17

Hibiki 17 Years

Suntory Hibiki 17 Years 70cl 43% vol. It is a Japanese blended that uses whiskeys from the three distilleries of the Suntory group; Yamazaki, Hakushu and Chita. Mix of single malts aged in different barrels and grain whiskey. His complex and clear harmony have earned him numerous awards such as the 5 gold medals won in the International Spirits Competition. The whiskey is presented in a curious 24-sided bottle that represents the 24 faces of the old Japanese lunar calendar, with an Echizen label, traditional handmade Japanese paper.

The Suntory Yamazaki distillery

Suntory Yamazaki was Japan's first whiskey distillery and today, it is still the best-selling single malt on the island, it is exported to more than 25 countries and in 2002 it was the ninth best-selling single malt in the world. < / p>

The whiskey of the Yamazaki distillery is handcrafted, following the traditional method, in the oldest distillery in Japan. Founded in 1923 by Shinjiro Torii, the distillery is located in Osaka Prefecture, at the foot of Mount Tennozan, in a bamboo-plated valley, where the Katsura, Uji and Kizu rivers converge, providing the purest and distillery waters soft from Japan, the same used for hundreds of years for traditional Japanese tea ceremonies.

The Suntory Hakushu Distillery

The Hakushu distillery is the second Japanese whiskey distillery of the Suntory group, surrounded by an immense green forest, located at the foot of Mount Kaikomagatake in the perfect Yamanashi. Like Yamazaki, the location of the distillery was chosen because of the abundance of high quality mineral water, from which the Suntory group bottles thanks to its splendid nature.

Founded in 1973, the distillery uses traditional methods of production, such as heating the stills with direct coal fire and a slow distillation process. In 1981 the distillery grows with the construction of the Hakushu East block, the old distillery, West Hakushu, is re-destined for other purposes.

Hakushu has a capacity of 3,000,000 liters per year and produces a wide variety of whiskeys thanks to its wide range of stills of different sizes and shapes heated by coal. Some of the whiskeys made by the distillery are filtered by bamboo charcoal and all use waters from the Kai-Komogatake underground river.

The typical aromas of the distillery go through light smoke, white fruit such as pear and apple and tropical fruits.

The Suntory Chita Distillery

The Chita distillery is located on the misty and quiet coasts of the Chita peninsula, in Aichi prefecture. Founded in 1972 by Keizo Saji-Suntory, Suntory's second master distiller, he decided to found The Sun Grain Chita Distillery, a grain whiskey distillery, following Shinjiro Torii's vision, making whiskeys with the richness of Japanese nature and crafts.

Nicknamed "The silent distillery" brews grain whiskey, made with corn, wheat or rye. The malt whiskey is prepared with stills, while the grain whiskey is distilled in a continuous column, which provides a greater volume of alcohol but less flavor. Because of their exceptional softness and balance, Chita grain whiskeys are used to increase the harmony of the renowned Suntory blendeds, the Hibiki.

Tasting notes and interesting data of Hibiki 17 Years

Country: Japan.

Region: Osaka (Taketsuru Valley).

Style: Blended.

Aging: Aged in American white oak barrels, sherry and Mizunara (Japanese oak) 17 years.

Nose: Complex, notes of wax and honey, oak and resins, smoke and cocoa with notes of nuts.

Mouth: Sweet and rich, with notes of lemon zest, orange, raisins, vanilla with Mizunara.

Finish: Long end with oak and cocoa notes.

Recommendation La Llar del Vi:

Hibiki, which in Japanese means harmony, provides just that, a high-balance whiskey that combines single malts aged in Mizunara, American oak and Jerez from the Yamazaki distillery, the oldest in Japan, Hakushu and Chita with a quality and exceptional elegance.

Hibiki Awards and Mentions 17 Years

International Spirits Challenge

Gold medal in 2009, 2012, 2013, 2016.

San Francisco World Spirits Competition

Gold medal in 2005.

International Wine & Spirits Competition

Gold medal and best of the category in 2007.