Hibiki Harmony entered markets replacing the 12 Yr old variety. As a no-age statement whisky, maybe it's made available to a broader audience, it lives in turmoil with endless comparisons for the whisky it replaced. Removing age statements gives producers flexibility making whisky (how is it that 12 years are the minimum age in the bottle?), it results in a feeling of distrust with all the consumer used to visiting a number about the bottle.
Harmony is softer, gentler, while offering a quieter complexity when compared to discontinued 12 years old. You'll find whiskies which can be had best in a loud crowd, and whiskies you'll relish most having a select few of friends. Harmony can be a singular experience. It's the whisky that includes a lot to convey, but speaks quietly. Sure, it is not Hibiki 12, but it is fairly simple that it has more to offer.
What's in the whisky?
Hibiki may be the high-end blended brand from Beam Suntory. Hibiki 17 and 21 yr old are beautiful whiskies, and the 21 is just about the best whiskies I've tasted. All Hibiki releases certainly are a blend of malted barley and grain whisky, with assorted forms of oak used. It is a mix of malt from Yamazaki, Hakashu, and Chita whisky (mostly corn whisky). In terms of barrels used, there's American oak, some sherry oak, and Japanese Mizunara oak.
While blended whisky turns into a bad reputation, and Hibiki bakes an effort to not market itself as such, it is really an illustration of why blended whiskies mustn't be ignored.
Nose: Notes of your vanilla-citrus terrine. Wonderful caramel sweetness blended with bright orange zest, joined with heavier toasted spice notes. A traditional oaky spice gets control the nose from a time, knowning that will give you something a bit different. It's buttery, includes a touch of char, nice vanilla, a certain amount of candied ginger added to a combination. A mix of vanilla citrus finishes from the nose over time.
Palate: A lovely spread of oak tannins, vanilla sweetness, sharp pepper spice, and a buttery finish. Honey, cinnamon, and nutmeg come through nicely. It's sharper about the palate than you are on the nose. The tip is gentle, and heavier over a mixture of buttery-sweet and cinnamon spice.
Conclusion: The nose does wonders, and also the palate is a touch more ordinary, but overall the top Hibiki you'll be able to buy in the marketplace. It's priced well in the market in which the supply and demand chart for Japanese whisky is out-of-this-world.
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