Hibiki Japanese Harmony: Suntory's Answer to the 12 Year Old Shortage — Yamazaki, Hakushu, and Chita in Balance

Item: Hibiki Japanese Harmony: Suntory's Answer to the 12 Year Old Shortage — Yamazaki, Hakushu, and Chita in Balance
Rating: 7.5
Author: Ash Carrington

Ash Carrington April 10, 2026 1 views

7.5 /10

EDITOR

Distillery: Suntory (Yamazaki/Hakushu/Chita)
Type: Japanese
Age: NAS
ABV: 43% ABV
Price: £60

Tasting Notes

Nose

Rose, orange blossom, honey, fresh citrus, vanilla, subtle sandalwood — delicate and floral

Palate

Silky and smooth — honey, orange, white peach, apricot, cinnamon spice, milk chocolate — seamless Japanese blending

Finish

Medium — gentle warmth, honey, white chocolate, distinctive Mizunara oak incense-like spice — the Suntory signature

First Impressions

Hibiki Japanese Harmony — launched 2015 to replace the discontinued 12 Year Old. Suntory's three-distillery blend: Yamazaki, Hakushu, Chita. Dave Broom: 90 points.

Tasting

Floral nose with orange blossom and honey. Silky palate of peach, apricot, and cinnamon. Medium finish with Mizunara oak incense. Poised and balanced.

The Verdict

Hibiki Harmony earns a 7.5 — a good introduction to Japanese whisky that showcases Suntory's blending expertise. At £60, debatable value versus the lost 12 Year Old, but the quality is genuine. Japanese harmony, delivered as promised.

Where to Buy

Master of Malt
£75.00

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Ash Carrington

Reviews Editor

Ash brings a global palate to the team, having spent five years based in Singapore and Tokyo exploring the rapidly evolving Asian whisky scene. As Reviews Editor at Whiskeyful.com, his reviews are kno...