Hey friends,
Welcome to Episode 6 of 6 Days of Suntory Hibiki. In my latest YouTube Video here, I chat about my experience with Suntory Hibiki 30 Year Old and see whether it’s worth the unbelievable prices being asked and then I rank all the Hibiki’s I’ve tasted in order of my personal preference. Let me know if you agree and what is your favourite Suntory Hibiki in the comments?
Kampai
Brian
Hi friends,
Welcome to Episode 5 of 6 Days of Suntory! You can check out my latest YouTube video here where I chat about and review Suntory Hibiki 21 Year Old. Is it the pinnacle of age statement Hibiki’s even compared to the 30 year old and one of the best blended whiskies ever? Let me know what you think in the comments.
Kampai
Brian
G’day everyone,
Welcome to Episode.3 of 6 Days of Suntory Hibiki. You can check out my latest YouTube video here where I discuss Hibiki 12 Year Old and give my tasting notes and rating. I know this one is very popular amongst many enthusiasts so chuck a comment in the comments section and let me know what you think of Hibiki 12.
Kampai
Brian
Hey friends,
Welcome to Episode.2 of 6 Days of Suntory Hibiki.
You can check out my latest YouTube video here. Today I discuss the Hibiki Japanese Harmony Masters Select. I’ve owned around 8 bottles of this over the years. Have you tried it? Let me know what you think of it in the comments section.
Kampai and have a great day!
Brian
Hey peeps,
Welcome to Episode.1 of 6 Days of Suntory Hibiki.
You can watch my latest YouTube Video here. Some background and tasting notes for Hibiki Japanese Harmony. A whisky I hated when first tasted! This is what I think of it now!
Let me know what you think of this in the comments section of the video.
Kampai
Brian
Hey friends,
Click here to check out a quick preview video of what coming up on the Japanese Whisky Review YouTube Channel.
Please don’t forget to click the Like, Subscribe and Notification buttons if you haven’t already : )
Kampai
Brian aka Dramtastic
G’day everyone,
Click here to watch my latest YouTube video. I’m reviewing, actually re reviewing, that absolute classic from Nikka, Nikka From The Barrel. NFTB is one of the first whiskies I bought in Japan in 2009 and have bought and drunk many more bottles since. I talk a little about the history, the fact that it is not classed as Japanese Whisky by The Japanese Whisky and Liqueurs Makers Association, some tasting notes and why it is still great bang for ya buck.
Don’t forget to hit the Like, Subscribe and Notification buttons as I’ll be uploading new content every week.
Kampai
Brian
Nose: Very Rich! Some classic strong Chichibu, malt, toffee, honey and apple pie/strudel notes. Banana, pineapple, cinnamon, dried mango and vanilla.
Palate: Wood spices and a rum like quality, I’m thinking Jamaica or Guyana. Lots of tropical fruits, banana, mango, pineapple, passionfruit. The malt, honey, vanilla and apple pie remain but take a back seat to the tropical fruits. Pepper and garam masala. Spicier with water added.
Finish: Apple pie, butter, dried mango, banana, then goes all minty fresh plus some oak. After a couple of minutes the fruits are back. Very good length and the fruits are even juicier with water added.
Last Word: This is a World Blended Whisky, with Chichibu Malt and Grain Whisky from other countries. I find it quite wonderful and now my favorite World Blended Whisky from Ichiro-san.
Rating: 91/100
Nose: Light. Vanilla, strawberry stalks, fresh rhubarb, bread dough, hint of dusty oak.
Palate: Cinnamon, strawberry conserve, rhubarb, raspberries, vanilla. Light black tea, oak. Light bodied.
Finish: Vanilla cream. cinnamon, touch of chocolate and oak. Short length.
Last Word: Really mellow and fairly bland. Far prefer the ‘regular’ 10 and 12 year old bottlings.
Rating: 76/100
Nose: Toffee, plums, apricots, candied orange slices, raisins, honey, vanilla, pepper. An ever present floral note that floats over the top, some leather and bran. Elegant. Cadbury Crunchie and light oak with water added.
Palate: Rich and full bodied with long oily legs in the glass. Nutmeg, raisins, honey, plums, apricots, orange candies, brandy snaps, sweet tobacco. A nice hit of salt and pepper. Some banana with water added. Excellent balance.
Finish: Bran, cacoa powder, hint of new leather, chocolate milk. The finish is longer with water added plus some vanilla, leather, oak and banana candies.
Last Word: What a suprise packet. My favorite Mars Blend so far. Read the back label carefully and it indicates that only the Malt component was distilled by Mars. No matter, works a treat with whatever 8 year old grain whisky they used in the mix. Was an absolute bargain in Japan at around $50 retail. Highly recommended if you can still get it on the cheap.
Rating: 87/100
Nose: Cherries, incense, vanilla, toffee apple, flambe orange, coffeed beans, BBQ sauce. The struck match I’ve found in virtually every sherry cask matured whisky from Eigashima/White Oak. Water brings out a savory note.
Palate: Cream sherry, orange candy, butter, nutmeg. Burnt toast, burnt euchalyptus, coffee beans. Water adds grapefruit. Medium bodied.
Finish: Sherry, nutmeg, roasted chestnuts, burnt toast, burnt euchalyptus, coffee beans. Water enhances the burnt euchalyptus and ends with some subtle oak dryness.
Last Word: All in all a fairly untaxing sherry cask matured whisky. It most likely won’t blow your mind but probably won’t offend to many either.
Rating: 82/100
Nose: There is some unripe apricots, unripe bananas, nutmeg, pencil shavings and green apples. What dominates though is red grape skins and vine leaves. The most grapey nose I’ve ever come across on a whisky and you smell it in a glass 2 feet away.
Palate: Follows the nose quite closely. Vine leaves, red grape skins, nutmeg, cinnamon bark, marzipan. Light bodied.
Finish: Red grape skins and cinnamon bark. Actually has some decent length for a 40%abv whisky.
Last Word: On the one hand I prefer this to the likes of Mars Iwai Tradition and Mars Iwai Bourbon barrel, but with mainly a couple of dominant flavors that must be from the Sakura cask finish, it’s a bit of a novely whisky.
Rating: 81/100
Palate: Fruit mince pie, plum sauce, currants, molasses, pumpernickel, sea spray, sherry, saddles bags, sweet pipe tobacco, cockles, caramel, vanilla, roses. Ever evolving!
Palate: Sherry, mixed nuts, orange juice, nutmeg, pepper, roses, peppermint, papaya, plum sauce, cherry cream filled chocolate, molasses, raisins.
Finish: Floral’s, macadamia’s, old leather, honey, marmalade, dried mango, peppermint, burnt eucalyptus.
Last Word: The ghosts of the flavors linger until the following day.
Rating: 92/100
*Note: A blend of Hanyu and Chicibu Single Malts and Kawasaki Single Grain Whisky.
Nose: It’s a peated whisky or at least there is a decent portion of peated malt in the blend. Iodine, earthy peat, mushrooms, stove pipes. Candied pears, green apples, orange peels, chocolate, lychees. After a few months a sherry note.
Palate: Would you like some chocolate with that peat? 70% cocoa dark chocolate, lychees, peanut brittle, sour mango, candied oranges, iodine, brine.
Finish: Brine, chocolate, cocoa powder, macadamia’s, custard, earthy peat, candied oranges then mint chocolate.
Last Word: Easy going peated whisky. Research indicates the peated malt portion of the blend is homegrown Saburomaru whisky and the grain element sourced from outside of Japan. Pretty decent actually!
Rating: 84/100
*Note: So what’s the connection between this bottling and Harry Crane from Mad Men? Nothing obvious as far as I can tell. The connection between the distillery and the name is the following Japanese Company, Harry Cranes. Even then I’m not sure what rice crackers have to do with whisky though it is a marketing avenue to spread your name.
Nose: Oaky, earthy and fruity. Reminds me somewhat of Hanyu earthiness, the earth in orchards of stone fruits. Very expressive for a 43%abv whisky. Licorice allsorts, vanilla and demerara rum, white peaches and a mix of cantaloupe and honeydew melons. Slightly burnt brown sugar, dried papaya and apricots. Some leather and sweet tobacco. Take some time and little by little, more and more is revealed. Some gingerbread spices, raisins, overripe bananas, pineapple and oranges. I’d call it a plush nose!
Palate: Cognac like fruitiness, oily/buttery mouth feel. Bourbonesque orange, vanilla custard, brandy snaps, dried mango slices, lemon, grapefruit, sherry, the gingerbread spices. Demerara rum, strawberries soaked in champagne, eucalyptus. The gingerbread spices make this pop on the palate more than you would expect at ‘only’ 43%abv.
Finish: Turkish bread dipped in olive oil, orange soaked brandy snaps. Becomes drier on leather, tobacco and mature oak then drifts towards hints of coal fire, earthy peat, dried mango and grapefruit bitterness.
Last Word: A very classy dram showcasing the Blenders art!
Rating: 91/100 trending towards 92
*Note: Core components for this whisky are Mizunara Casks of at least 25 years old, Spanish Oak Sherry Casks, long aged Suntory Chita Grain Whisky.
Nose: Black plums, black cherries, Flambeau bananas, brandy snaps, caramelized orange slices, toffee, raspberry jam, English breakfast tea, honey, saddle bags, floor polish, dried papaya and mango, rye spice, dusty oak barrels.
Palate: Pecan pie, toffee, rhubarb, vanilla, butter. There is some serious richness from the sherry cask and old Kawasaki single grain whisky. Quince jam, brown sugar, banana, coal, cherry cream, dried mango, nutmeg, sugared apple pie crust. A few drops of water adds a little pepper and ginger warmth, orange and sugared pink grapefruit.
Finish: Old oak barrels, cigar leaf, hint of pepper taste but not heat, toffee, cherry cream, bananas, quince jam, English breakfast tea with 1 sugar, bbq hotplate, minties. Water brings a return to warming pepper and ginger.
Great length. A whisky that leaves an impression of it’s essence over to the next day.
Last Word: I’ve had a number of these Ichiro’s Malt & Grain whiskies and if you have had the white label, premium or this years limited edition blue label this is a big step up in my opinion. You would have to go to one of the Kiyosato Field Ballet bottling’s that only have old Hanyu and Kawasaki whisky in the blend to go up a couple of ratings points and they are 10 x or more the price of this one. A rich indulgence and glad I also have another bottle.
Rating: 90/100
*Note: This is the make up of the blend
CHICHIBU malt matured in bourbon barrel
CHICHIBU malt matured in sherry cask
Some malt whiskies matured over 10 years from Scotland
KAWASAKI 33YO single grain whisky distilled in 1982
After blending, re-casked in bourbon barrel 8259 and matured for 2 years and 9 months.
Nose: Icing sugar, lemon, mandarin, vanilla, pepper, banana, cream corn.
Palate: Fried banana, mandarin, butter, vanilla, pepper, almonds.
Finish: Mandarin, butter and a little pepper.
Last Word: The most “Imperial” thing about this blended whisky is the lovely decanter style bottle it comes in. Beyond that it is a fairly simple offering.
Rating: 78/100
Nose: Apple pie, sweet corn, white pepper, honey, vanilla, toffee, sawdust.
Palate: Baking spices, apple danish, salt, sweetened lemons, fresh ginger, white pepper, banana, sawdust, raisins.
Finish: Banana, apple danish, white pepper, sawdust.
Last Word: This is a blend of Chichibu Single Malt Whisky and grain whisky from unknown distilleries outside of Japan. Certainly a step up from the Ichiro’s Malt & Grain White Label but lets compare it to someone Japanese fully homegrown blends. I paid 9000 yen for the Ichiro’s Premium in Japan. At the moment in Japan you can buy Nikka Premium Blend 12YO for around Y5000 and Nikka Whisky From The Barrel Y2500 and IMO both are superior. Suntory Hibiki Harmony Masters Select(travel exclusive)for roughly Y9000 and again I wouldn’t hesitate to say superior the Ichiro’s hybrid blend.
Rating: 82/100
Nose: Banana mouse, brandy, blueberries, toffee, steamed corn cob, apricots, maple syrup, hint of orange, bay leaves.
Palate: Paprika, oregano, chili powder, chocolate coated coffee beans, mashed banana’s, blueberries, toffee, old leather, dried tobacco leaves.
Finish: Oregano, pepper, dried tobacco leaves, fried banana, pineapple, bay leaves.
Last Word: The mainly sweet nose belies the herbaceous palate and finish that follows. A very smooth and approachable blended whisky, there should still be enough flavor and complexity to satisfy many. A little bit of Yoichi peated whisky in the mix to add a smoky element would not have gone astray.
Rating: 86/100
Update: With a little over a third of the bottle gone there is now some obvious Yoichi smokiness coming through. Add a point.
Nose: At 43%abv it’s no heavy hitter but elegant and complex. Dark cherries, roasted chestnuts, raisins, vanilla, Valencia oranges, nutmeg, red grapes, a waxy note, Cherry Ripes, subtle oak, brandy snaps.
Palate: Faithfully follow’s the nose for the most part but the oak is definitely firmer. There is also cloves and old leather. Water brings out sultana’s, mint milk chocolate, red berries and cocoa powder. The fruit flavors are nice and juicy.
Finish: Medium length on mint milk chocolate, menthol, nutmeg, oak and cocoa.
Last Word: High quality and classy blend with classic Suntory Sherry Cask matured whisky elements wrapped up in a elegant package. I’ll add that in reality much darker in color than the photo which is heavily backlit.
Rating: 92/100