Nowadays, Hibiki is a big name in whisky market. Suntory positioned Hibiki whisky as a premium gift. In 1989 Suntory launched the first Hibiki. It was a 17 years old bottling, much older than most other brands’ elementary bottling.

Suntory at last released a younger version of Hibiki in 2009, the 12 years old bottling. Interestingly that the firstly launched market was neither Japan nor Asia, but to US and Europe. This younger version of Hibiki is not simply just blended by younger age of whiskies from Yamazaki, Hakushu and Chita. Further interesting point is that part of its ingredient whiskies are aged in the casks which previously held Japanese plum liquor.

The sample I tasted was from a bottling about 2013. I am not sure whether is it same as to the current release. By the way, it is rumored that this Hibiki 12 years old will be discontinued from the product line. In fact most distilleries including Suntory promote their NAS (No Age Statement) whiskies and of course Hibiki is joining the rank.

Hibiki 響 12 years, 700 ml, 43%

Hay, floral, honey, plume, raisin, citrus
Dried flower, toast, chocolate, honey, orange
Medium length, roasted dark coffee, orange peel, woody
Comment: Mild aroma, perfume, dried flower and hay, honey sweetness, little sour of plume. Light body, not sweet as to smell. Medium length aftertaste, a bit bitterness from toasty and tannin. Very good smell, blossom & perfume. A smooth, soft and perfume whisky but simple. Good daily dram, if price can be neglected.

Hibiki 12 years

Hibiki is one of the major product lines in Suntory. For standard bottlings, there are the youngest 12 years old, classic 17 years, premium 21 years and flagship 30 years old. The recent new release includes those special fancy labels and duty free exclusive versions, as well as the NAS (No Age Statement) bottling. The new NAS Hibiki is named Harmony. By the price level suggested, this new NAS Harmony becomes the elementary bottling in this product line.

The Hibiki Harmony which I am going to introduce is not the current elementary version. It was one of the two special editions released in 2013.

Hibiki  Mellow Harmony, 700 ml, 43%

The formula of Hibiki Mellow Marmony is based on standard 17 years old by adding some Yamazaki malts of more than 30 years ago, limited to 4,000 bottles. There was another special edition released at the same time, the Deep Harmony, also based on standard 17 years old formula, blended with Hakushu malts aged in ex-red wine cask , limited to 4,000 bottle as well.

The Hibiki whisky is famous in smooth and soft. Now harmony plus mellow that the style of this Hibiki is very obvious.

Nose: Preserved plum, fresh apricot, apple, chocolate, sandalwood
Palate: Honey, plum, coffee, citrus peel, spices
Aftertaste: Medium length, coffee grounds, toasted wood
Comments: Very sweet and soft aroma, especially the sweet with sour preserved plum, fresh apricot, delicious apple, delightful chocolate and faint wood at back. Soft and smooth body, balance between sweet and bitter. Medium length aftertaste, trended to toasty. A whisky of soft and smooth but with dimensions, good example to blended whiskies. Overall it is soft and sweet but balanced with adequate bitterness and toasty, a good whisky for leisure time.

Hibiki Mellow Harmony

Hibiki 系列是 三德利 Suntory 旗下威士忌的王牌產品之一，標準酒款有經典的十七年陳，高級的廿一年，旗艦級的三十年和調有梅酒桶的十二年陳，還有一些比標準酒款同等陳年但貴很多的的甚麼花鳥風月富士風雲等的特別版和免稅限定版，與及近期各大酒廠"不約而同"推出的無陳年標示 No Age Statement (NAS) 的 Hibiki  響 Harmony。新的 Hibiki  響 Harmony 算是大眾市場的入門酒款，價格比十二年陳平，但由於是無陳年標示而我亦未有喝過，是否相對於酒質來說真的"平"，我未能評論。

我現在要介紹的 Hibiki  Harmony，可不是現時的標準版，是 2013 年推出的兩款特別版的其中一款。

Hibiki  響 Mellow Harmony, 700 ml, 43%

這款 Hibiki  響 Mellow Harmony 是以響十七的配方為基礎，調入三十年陳或以上的山崎 Yamazaki 原酒，穀物原酒則是來自知多 Chita 蒸餾廠，限量四千瓶。同期推出的另一款 Hibiki，是 Deep Harmony，同樣以響十七的配方為基礎，調入  ex-red wine cask 桶陳的 白洲 Hakushu，同樣是限量四千瓶。

說回這款要介紹的 Hibiki，名字叫 Mellow Harmony。Hibiki 已經是平衡柔和的了，還要 Harmony，再加上 Mellow，這款酒的風格看名字已經很明顯了。來喝喝看是否真的這麼芳醇和諧。於此多謝酒友賜酒。

氣味: 蜜餞梅子，鮮杏，蘋果，朱古力，檀木
口味: 蜜糖，梅子，咖啡，柑橘皮，香料
餘蘊: 中等長度，咖啡渣，燻木材
結論: 很甜美柔和的香氣，甜中帶酸的蜜餞梅子尤其吸引，清香的鮮杏，香甜的紅蘋果，甘醇的朱古力，幽幽的木材香氣。酒體香軟，柔順，甘甜兼備。中等長度的餘蘊，甘香為主。很柔順易飲但不單調的一款酒，充份展現出調和威士忌的特性和優點，雖然整體偏香軟甘甜，仍有點點焦苦平衡，餘暇輕鬆時的佳品，正斗之作。

Hibiki Mellow Harmony