- Robert Parker (RP) points
- Vinous points
About this whisky
Suntory - Hibiki
Hibiki is a Japanese whisky from Suntory, made in the style's usual spirit of poise over power. It belongs to the softer, more graceful side of the category, made for slow sipping rather than a show of force.
Expect a fragrant nose of orchard fruit and honeyed malt. The palate is smooth and rounded, with sweetness kept in check and a little warming spice. The finish is clean and unhurried, with no harsh edges.
Like all whisky, it begins with fermented grain, distilled and then matured. Japanese whisky is typically defined by restraint and careful balance between its components, and Hibiki follows that line, with the elements fitted together so that none dominates.
Serve it neat in a tulip glass, or over a single large cube of ice, with a few drops of water to open the aromatics. Behind the bar, The Harmonic Balance is its signature cocktail. It also makes a quiet, assured digestif at the end of a long dinner.
The Harmonic Balance
Ingredients
- 45 ml Suntory Hibiki 21 Years
- 15 ml Yuzu juice (fresh)
- 10 ml Honey syrup (1:1 ratio)
- 5 ml Sake (premium, chilled)
- 2 dashes Angostura bitters
- 1 dash Yuzu bitters
- Ice (large single cube)
Method
- Chill a coupe glass by filling it with ice and setting aside for 2 minutes, then discard ice.
- In a mixing glass, combine the Hibiki 21, yuzu juice, honey syrup, and sake.
- Add both dashes of Angostura bitters and the yuzu bitters.
- Fill the mixing glass with ice and stir for 45 seconds until properly chilled and diluted.
- Strain the mixture into the prepared coupe glass using a fine strainer.
- Place the large ice cube into the glass.
Serve
Coupe glass with a single large ice cube. Garnish with a paper-thin slice of yuzu peel, expressed over the surface for oils, then laid flat on top of the drink. Finish with a delicate spritz of rose water misted over the surface using an atomizer. Serve with a small side of candied yuzu peel on a slate accompaniment plate.
