Why Suntory’s oldest blended whisky, the Hibiki 40-Year-Old, costs S$47,000. It is also sold out

The global luxury whisky market shows no signs of abating in its phenomenal growth, driven mostly by whisky-based tourism, product innovation and special launches.

Japanese whisky is one of the highest climbers, with research consulting firm Spherical Insights reporting a compound annual growth rate of 9.2 per cent for the Japanese whisky market, to top US$9.32 billion (S$12.77 billion) by 2032.

Among the significant releases in the past year is The House of Suntory’s Hibiki 40 Year Old, which was launched in October 2024. A Suntory’s spokesperson shared that 400 bottles have been released worldwide but declined to reveal the exact allocation for Singapore.

Priced at S$47,000 before taxes, the Hibiki 40 is no casual purchase and is already sold out. Its crafting, which blended 40-year-old malt and grain whiskies from all three Suntory distilleries in Yamazaki, Hakushu and Chita, was also the ultimate test of blender technique.

Shinji Fukuyo, Suntory’s fifth-generation chief blender and recently awarded Master Blender of the Year by the International Spirits Challenge 2024 Awards, shared that blending whiskies that are over 40 years old is a challenging task.

The elegant, floral aromas that define Hibiki’s whiskies would have faded overtime in the maturation process and there was a high possibility of them being overwhelmed by oak. He said: “We had to select the whiskies very carefully; after 40 years the maturation process is tricky. Sometimes, it gets ‘overaged’, where the body gets too bitter or weaker and softer.” It was also imperative that the Hibiki elegance was retained yet not be “too powerful and rich”.

Bigger-sized old casks were sought, where the whiskies within had gone through a slower maturation process and the casks have already been used three or four times. In particular, the ones aged in Yamazaki’s American white oak casks had “antique and nostalgic aromas that were not lively or brilliant but very soft and warm, like an aroma of history found in old temples and libraries,” said Fukuyo, who has been with Suntory since 1984.

The golden hues of the spirit reminded Fukuyo of the patina on Buddhism statues and he wanted to capture a sense of temple tradition and history in the spirit. He said: “During the one year of barrel-ageing the Hibiki 40, I went to a very old temple to confirm the image I had in mind for the whisky and was satisfied that it was what I had imagined it to be.”

It is all about nuances in this spirit. Best drunk neat, the Hibiki 40 requires thoughtful sips to appreciate the delicate whiffs of Japanese loquat, dry lemon peel and clove on the nose as well as roasty cacao with undertones of dried figs, yuzu and acacia honey on the palate. At the end is a lingering aftertaste of musky, spiced notes. The deep maturation in American, Spanish and Mizunara Japanese oak casks adds to the overall complexity.

It scores on aesthetics too. The golden amber liquid shimmers through the 30-faceted glass bottle that is fashioned by Kagami Crystal, a glassware maker favoured by the Japanese imperial family. The bottle is also decorated in traditional Japanese maki-e lacquer and comes with a modern label by washi artist Eriko Horiki.

Nestling the bottle is a box made of 12 kinds of Japanese wood, such as pine and zelkova, with 12 faces representing the months in a year. Botanical prints are etched out in maki-e lacquer around the box to create a sense of connection between Hibiki’s past and future through changing seasons.

The surging prices of Japanese whiskies aside — Suntory raised the prices of its whiskies by as much as 125 per cent last year — Fukuyo believes that Japanese whiskies will always find favour with connoisseurs not only because of the attention to craftsmanship but also their distinct characteristics that arise out of Japan’s natural environment. He explained: “Japan’s water is very soft and pure. We have hot, humid summers and cold, dry winters. The changing climate produces something different.”

The Japanese attitude towards craftsmanship, or “monozukuri”, also embodies the principle of kaizen. He said: “We are always thinking of making something better and the process is very detailed and precise, from car and watch manufacturing to whisky making as well.”

For more information on the Hibiki 40 Year Old, visit house.suntory.com