About this deal
Had a follow-up dram again tonight. I usually do not add water to whiskies at 40-43% ABV, but I thought I'd give it a go and was pleasantly surprised!
It should be noted that if you have the money and the fine palate, Suntory Whisky Hibiki 21 Years Old aka Hibiki 21 is also incredibly good. In fact, itwas selected for the “Supreme Champion Spirit” award at the International Spirits Challenge this year.I asked Suntory Holdings about this "arbitrage opportunity." If you do the math, even if Hibiki 17 in the regular bottle was widely available at the list price (which it is not) it would still theoretically be cheaper to buy 14 miniature bottles. Suntory's explanation: "When Hibiki 17 was first put on the market in 1989, the whiskey market was heading downwards and the miniature bottles were priced to encourage people to sample the whiskey. The pricing from that era has remained in place and thus the price (per milliliter), when compared to the 700-milliliter bottle is still cheaper." Incredibly well constructed with a stunning range of flavors means even the most budget-friendly bottles of Hibiki should be savored rather than gulped down. We may, but are not under any obligation, to release new functionalities and tools or other features for the Service every now and then. Any new functionalities, tools and features shall be part of and governed by the Terms from the moment they are launched and/or available. Further, we reserve the right to modify, change, discontinue the Service, add or remove features, update the Service, change its appearance, temporarily and permanently, at any time, in whole or any part thereof. First reaction, from nosing of bottle immediately after cap removal is distinctly and umistakably, of plum wine. A wonderful thing to experience for the first time! I left the bottle alone for 15 minutes before pouring a dram for nosing and tasting and followed up the tasting the next day, these are combined notes with my final score. Good | Good, solid, ordinary (Elijah Craig Small Batch, Buffalo Trace, Old Grand-Dad Bottled-in-Bond)
Hibiki is more than just a mere brand of whisky: it’s a work of art, a harmonious fusion, and a brilliant example of everything the Japanese whisky industry is known best for.Regardless of whether the Service offers the functionality to contribute, you are solely responsible and liable for any content and information that you create, upload, post, publish, link to, duplicate, transmit, record, display or otherwise make available on the Service or to other Members, such as chat messages, text messages, videos, audio, audio recordings, music, pictures, photographs, text and any other information or materials, whether publicly posted or privately transmitted (“Contributions”). We may sell, license, transfer, assign or in any other way dispose of the Service (including Members) to any third party without any notification to you, e.g. (but without limitation) in connection with any reorganization, restructuring, merger or sale, or other transfer of assets. Before drinking Hibiki, it’s worth familiarizing yourself with the brand’s multi-faceted approach, so you know exactly which flavors and aromas to pay attention to.
But on top of the plums I get some spices, I think nutmeg and cinnamon, caramel and hints of what I think are fruits, apples and pears specifically. systemdown, about the miniatures re: your @ Pudge72 response, I am one who has had some quality issues with samples from minis, but I have to say the tastes of the 'off' minis didn't seem like an oxidative effect, e.g."soapy" is most definitely not the product of oxidation, but a defect in production and quality control. Also, for my palate, increased oxidation usually benefits the whiskies in question, rather than harming them. 'Soapiness', for example, is usually gradually dispelled by increasing oxidation. For me, the most common pattern is that only very advanced oxidation causes deteriouration of the flavours.Now I've tried a few other Japanese whiskies before, specifically the Yamazaki 12 yr (over rated in my opinion) and the Hakushu 12 yr old (absolutely brilliant). The subtle refinements made to the 2019 Edition bring an added touch of flair and elegance. It’s classy, visually stunning and has an air of quality before it has even passed your lips – it’s the perfect last goodbye. Although inspired by traditional Scottish distilleries, Torii envisioned a uniquely Japanese approach to whisky and chose a location for his distillery that offered a climate and terrain utterly different from those of Scotland. Nestled on the periphery of Kyoto, Yamazaki Distillery is situated at the confluence of three rivers — the Katsura, Uji, and Kizu — that provide the warm, damp environment ideal for the production and maturation of whisky. One thing that hasn’t changed is the composition of the liquid. It retains the original formula that has earned dozens of prestigious awards from leading competitions and houses the same outstanding tasting notes inside. After all, when a whisky is this good, there’s simply no sense in making a change. Hibiki is careful, measured, and specific. Every element of this incredible whisky was designed precisely so, with no margin for error or any kind of supplementation. And that’s something you’ll spot every step of the way.
I asked the economist and writer, Noah Smith, for a second opinion. He also concurred. "Nice find! Normally, economists would think this is just a mistake - maybe one division of the company didn't talk to another, and they made an error in their pricing that will eventually be corrected when enough people start taking advantage of it. On the other hand, maybe people who drink Hibiki value the large bottle itself, for the authenticity, the conspicuous display of wealth, or the way it looks on the shelf. But as a Texan, I recommend that you ignore such effete, snobbish concerns and just grab the cheap whiskey.” Typical Japanese from my experience. A very light and floral nose. Jasmine, hibiscus, some orange and scented candles. Meanwhile, if you spot miniature bottles for even around 1,000 yen in your local liquor shop, airport, or supermarket, buy them while you can. After this articles posts, even those may be hard to find.Hibiki was introduced in 1989 by Suntory, originally with expressions having age statements of 17 and 21 years. [5] (In the convention for whisky age statements, the age stated is the age of the youngest whisky in the blend.) A 30-year expression was introduced in 1997, and a 12-year expression was introduced in 2009. [5] With the addition of water, the nose becomes floral and fruity, with an added hint of peat smoke, improving its balance noticeably as the caramel recedes from the forefront. Sadly though, the plum recedes also and is barely noticeable - but given the new found balance in the nose, it's not a major loss. Pfanner, Eric (May 15, 2014). "Suntory Still has M&A Thirst". The Wall Street Journal . Retrieved March 1, 2016. The box has been revamped with a more upscale appearance and while the previous version was undoubtedly gorgeous in its own right,this new one feels even more deserving of housing a the famous bottle and liquid inside. The label has also been updated with a new tagline. Where it used to say “A harmonious blend of handcrafted select specially aged whiskies”, it now states “A harmonious blend of the finest selection of specially aged whiskies.” Each and every Member must be of legal drinking age in its country of residence to be allowed to use the Service. If no such law exists in a Member’s country of residence, the Member has to be over 21 years old to use the Service. We have the right to ask you to provide proof of your age and/or to provide further identification to prevent underage usage and/or for any other legal or legitimate purpose. By using the Service, and by creating an account you represent, warrant and confirm that you are of legal age.