Hibiki 17 Year Old Whisky

Hibiki 17 Years Old is one of the great icons of modern Japanese whisky and one of the most emblematic expressions ever created by Suntory. Originally released as part of the Hibiki family, launched in 1989 to commemorate Suntory's 90th anniversary, it perfectly embodies the Japanese concept of harmony —wa— at the heart of the brand.

A sophisticated blended Japanese whisky, Hibiki 17 combines malt whiskies from Yamazaki and Hakushu with grain whisky from Chita, incorporating spirit matured in different types of cask, including components aged in prized Japanese Mizunara oak. Bottled at 43% ABV, its character is defined not by sheer power but by remarkable balance, elegance and complexity.

The nose reveals an elegant combination of fruit and florals, with peach, apricot and melon complemented by roses and delicate white flowers. On the palate, layers of toffee, vanilla, black cherry, honey and ripe fruit mingle with refined oak and the distinctive spicy, incense-like character associated with Mizunara. The finish is long, graceful and beautifully integrated, leaving lingering notes of fruit, honey, gentle spices and oak.

Its place in popular culture was cemented by its appearance in Lost in Translation (2003), helping make Hibiki 17 one of the world's most recognisable Japanese whiskies.

In 2018, Suntory announced that Hibiki 17 would be discontinued, as soaring global demand for Japanese whisky placed increasing pressure on the company's stocks of mature spirit. Since then, it has evolved from a prestigious premium whisky into a cult bottling and highly sought-after collector's piece.

More than simply a 17-year-old whisky, Hibiki 17 is a reminder of an extraordinary era in Japanese whisky — harmony, precision and elegance captured in a bottle, in an expression that may never exist in quite the same way again.

Bottle in stock in our store. If you are interested and want photographs, please contact us.