NEW YORK, NEW YORK (October 3, 2024) – Today, The House of Suntory announces the release of Hibiki 40 Year Old – underlining the brand’s role as a leading pioneer of Japanese Whisky.
Hibiki 40 Year Old is an exclusive liquid with an extraordinary blend of high-quality Japanese Whiskies from Suntory’s globally acclaimed distilleries – Yamazaki, Hakushu, and Chita each matured for over 40 years and meticulously blended to create a full orchestra of flavors and aromas.
This release solidifies The House of Suntory’s position at the forefront of Japanese spirits, crafting whiskies of unparalleled rarity and lineage, each a testament to their commitment to defying convention.
Handed down from one blender to the next, Hibiki 40 Year Old has been made possible thanks to decades of accumulated expertise and experience in the art of blending. It is the pinnacle of generations of learning and craftsmanship, and a unique and incredibly rare embodiment of the finest standards of Japanese mastery, making a statement of the spirit of innovation at The House of Suntory.
The blenders carefully selected a variety of The House of Suntory’s treasured, ultra-high-aged whiskies produced with great care by their earlier generations. The decadent and truly innovative result is a gorgeous taste with layers of unprecedented aroma and mellowness.
Suntory’s Chief Blender, Shinji Fukuyo, diligently crafted Hibiki 40 Year Old – a perfectly harmonious blend. On the nose, it reveals aromas of Japanese loquat, dry lemon peel, and clove. It unveils flavors of pure acacia honey and dry fig on the palate, culminating in an aromatic aftertaste.
Shinji Fukuyo said that behind the elegance and bloom that is typical of Hibiki, there is a sense of subduedness, like that of an old temple, and a wabi-sabi patina due to the long aging process.
“I would like people to enjoy the pure aroma that has been sharpened over the years; the tranquility of old temples and storehouses and the nostalgic warm feeling that accompanies them.”
Hibiki 40 Year Old demonstrates the next chapter for Hibiki, where its signature ‘Creating Harmony’ not only resonates with the complexity of Mizunara Japanese oak and the subtle sweetness of Spanish oak, but is further elevated with the smoothness of caramelized cacao palates from the aged American oak.
To honor Japanese craftsmanship, The House of Suntory has partnered with the renowned Japanese washi artist, Eriko Horiki, to hand craft the washi label on the Hibiki 40 Year Old box.
The bottle is fashioned from crystal glass, boasting 30 facets intricately crafted by a renowned glassware maker known as a trusted purveyor to the Japanese imperial family. It is decorated with traditional Japanese maki-e, mother-of-pearl inlay, and gold lacquer to pay homage to our heritage and tradition.
This design amplifies the golden hue of the liquid within, epitomizing the essence of luxury and refinement.
The wooden box is made of 12 kinds of Japanese wood such as pine and zelkova, and has 12 faces, representing the 12 months of the year. Around the box, flowers and grasses of the four seasons of Japan are depicted in maki-e lacquer, representing the changing seasons and linking the past and future through Hibiki.
Only 400 bottles of the ultra-luxury Hibiki 40 Year Old will be released in selected markets, at selected retailers, with each bottle retailing for $35,000 USD.
For more information on Hibiki 40 Year Old, please visit us online here.
About The House of Suntory
Since 1923, Suntory has been renowned as a pioneer of Japanese Whisky for its House of Master Blenders and for their Art of Blending. Founder Shinjiro Torii built Japan’s first malt whisky distillery in Yamazaki, and the Suntory legacy continued with Torii’s son and Suntory’s second Master Blender, Keizo Saji, who continued to establish distilleries including the Hakushu Distillery.
As the generations of Suntory’s master blenders carry on, Suntory Whisky remains committed to heritage and innovation. The House of Suntory has been named four-time Distiller of the Year at the International Spirits Challenge in London, UK (2010, 2012, 2013, 2014). Suntory Whiskies are subtle, refined and complex. The portfolio includes Yamazaki, Hakushu, Chita, Kakubin, Hibiki, Suntory Whisky Toki and Ao. The House of Suntory portfolio also offers Roku Japanese Gin and Haku Japanese Vodka. Created from Japanese ingredients by the master artisans at The House of Suntory, Roku Gin and Haku Vodka represent the nature and spirit of Japan. Last year, Suntory Whisky celebrated one hundred years of whisky innovation—a major milestone not only for the brand’s history, but for Japanese spirits culture as a whole. To mark this anniversary, The House of Suntory rolled out its centennial campaign throughout 2023.
