Hibiki Blender's Choice

What it is

Hibiki Blender's Choice launched on 4 September 2018, originally for the Japanese on-trade rather than retail shelves. It carries no age statement, but Suntory has said the components average around 15 years, with some as young as 12 and some past 30. Bottled at 43%. Like the rest of the range it's built from Yamazaki and Hakushu malts with Chita grain.

Where it comes from

Suntory confirms Hibiki meets the Japan Spirits and Liqueurs Makers Association labelling standard, and that all exported Suntory whisky is distilled, matured and bottled in Japan with nothing imported in the blend.

How it's made

The thing that separates it from the rest of the range is the inclusion of wine cask matured whiskies, which Suntory made a point of at launch. That's unusual for Hibiki, where the cask story is normally American oak, sherry and mizunara. The result is a rounder, fruitier profile than Japanese Harmony, and it's the reason Blender's Choice reads as a distinct product rather than a stopgap.

What to expect

Fuller and sweeter than Harmony. The wine casks push red fruit, plum and raisin forward, with the usual Hibiki floral character sitting behind it and a bit of cinnamon and oak spice at the end. The finish is shorter than you'd hope for something built on 15 year old stock.

How it compares

Everyone wants to compare it to Hibiki 17, which was discontinued the same month, and that comparison isn't quite fair. The 17 was a straight age statement; this is a different recipe with a cask type the 17 never used. The more honest comparison is Japanese Harmony, which is lighter, simpler and built for highballs. Blender's Choice is aimed at drinking neat. Prices on it went sideways fast once it left Japan, so what you pay outside the domestic market has very little to do with what Suntory set it at.