Hibiki Harmony arrived to markets replacing the 12 Years old variety. As being a no-age statement whisky, it can be offered to a broader audience, it also lives in turmoil with endless comparisons towards the whisky it replaced. Removing age statements gives producers flexibility making whisky (why should 12 years are the minimum age within the bottle?), it also creates a feeling of distrust using the consumer acquainted with going to a number around the bottle.
Harmony is softer, gentler, and provides a quieter complexity when compared to discontinued 12 year old. You will find whiskies which are had top in a loud crowd, and whiskies you'll savor most with a select few of friends. Harmony is a singular experience. It's the whisky that carries a lot to say, but speaks quietly. Sure, it is not Hibiki 12, but it's fairly simple it has more to offer.
What's from the whisky?
Hibiki will be the high-end blended brand from Beam Suntory. Hibiki 17 and 21 year-old are beautiful whiskies, along with the 21 is one of the best whiskies I've tasted. All Hibiki releases certainly are a combination of malted barley and grain whisky, with many kinds of oak used. It is a mixture of malt from Yamazaki, Hakashu, and Chita whisky (mostly corn whisky). For barrels used, there's American oak, some sherry oak, and Japanese Mizunara oak.
While blended whisky gets to be a bad reputation, and Hibiki bakes an effort not to market itself therefore, it is deemed an example of why blended whiskies really should not be ignored.
Nose: Notes of your vanilla-citrus terrine. Wonderful caramel sweetness when combined bright orange zest, along with heavier toasted spice notes. A geniune oaky spice takes over the nose from a time, understanding that gives you something quite different. It's buttery, has a touch of char, nice vanilla, a bit of candied ginger combined with the amalgamation. A combination of vanilla citrus finishes over nose as time passes.
Palate: A good looking spread of oak tannins, vanilla sweetness, sharp pepper spice, along with a buttery finish. Honey, cinnamon, and nutmeg come through nicely. It's sharper around the palate compared to the nose. The final is gentle, and heavier with a mixture of buttery-sweet and cinnamon spice.
Conclusion: The nose does wonders, along with the palate is a touch more ordinary, but overall the very best Hibiki you can buy on the market. It's priced well in the market the location where the supply and demand chart for Japanese whisky is out-of-this-world.
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