Whisky : Suntory Hibiki Blender's Choice

Country/Region : Japan/Blend

ABV : 43%

Cask : Various (emphasis on wine casks)

Nose : Dried hay grass: it is smokey, floral, and savory all at once.  There is a kind of sweet and spice that I associate with the memory of late summer sun dried hay bails.

Palate : Pressed ginger juice spiced with cinnamon started this dram off with a kick.  At turns more savory notes come out; leather, iodine, black pepper corns. A sort of cheese-umami funk that provides excellent depth of flavor and richness.

Finish : Lovely long finish; rich like a piece of tender steak that just melts in your mouth— a bit of molasses sweetness is eventually all that’s left behind.

Score : 6

Notes : Launched in the fall of 2018, the new Hibiki Blender’s Choice filled the role of the discontinued Hibiki 17 in Suntory’s lineup of premium blends. The Blender’s Choice has a range of different casks, cask finishes, and ages, with emphasis placed on wine cask aging and finishing. The average age of the blend components is around 15 years with significantly older barrels helping to balance out the spirited youth of younger ones. Likely the backbone of the blend are barrels intended for the discontinued 12 & 17 year Hibiki blends.

I did not expect much from another non age-statement Hibiki blend— what does Blender’s Choice even mean?  How does that compare to Hibiki Harmony or Harmony Master’s Select?  It’s all just bland jargon meant to convey the idea of uniqueness, but which I find a confusing turn off.

With such low expectations going in to the tasting, it was not hard for me to be surprised. The Hibiki Blender’s Choice was excellent— and I finally understand a bit better why people go crazy for the older Hibiki age statements.  I’m still not sure if the value proposition is such that I could see myself getting a bottle ($150 Japan, or $200+ secondary US), there is just too much great scotch at that price point. Though I can not think of any others that combine various funky savory notes in quite the same way and I will happily enjoy a dram of this if anyone is offering.