Hibiki Harmony got into markets replacing the 12 Year-old variety. Being a no-age statement whisky, maybe it's distributed around a broader audience, it lives in turmoil with endless comparisons on the whisky it replaced. Removing age statements gives producers flexibility making whisky (why should 12 years are the minimum age from the bottle?), just about all results in a feeling of distrust using the consumer familiar with going to a number around the bottle.

Harmony is softer, gentler, while offering a quieter complexity in comparison to the discontinued 12 years old. You'll find whiskies which are had best in a loud crowd, and whiskies you'll relish most which has a select few of friends. Harmony is often a singular experience. It's the whisky that carries a lot to say, but speaks quietly. Sure, it isn't Hibiki 12, but it is quite possible it has more to offer.

What's in the whisky?
Hibiki will be the high-end blended brand from Beam Suntory. Hibiki 17 and 21 years old are beautiful whiskies, and the 21 is just about the best whiskies I've tasted. All Hibiki releases certainly are a blend of malted barley and grain whisky, with some other kinds of oak used. This can be a mixture of malt from Yamazaki, Hakashu, and Chita whisky (mostly corn whisky). In terms of barrels used, there's American oak, some sherry oak, and Japanese Mizunara oak.

While blended whisky gets to be a bad reputation, and Hibiki makes an effort to not market itself consequently, it is deemed an example of why blended whiskies mustn't be ignored.

Nose: Notes of a vanilla-citrus terrine. Wonderful caramel sweetness combined with bright orange zest, coupled with heavier toasted spice notes. A realistic oaky spice gets control the nose following a time, understanding that offers you something quite different. It's buttery, includes a touch of char, nice vanilla, a bit of candied ginger combined with the mix. A variety of vanilla citrus finishes over nose with time.

Palate: An attractive spread of oak tannins, vanilla sweetness, sharp pepper spice, and a buttery finish. Honey, cinnamon, and nutmeg come through nicely. It's sharper on the palate than you are on the nose. The tip is gentle, and heavier with a mix of buttery-sweet and cinnamon spice.

Conclusion: The nose does wonders, along with the palate is a bit more ordinary, but overall the best Hibiki you can actually buy out there. It's priced well inside a market where the demand and supply chart for Japanese whisky is out-of-this-world.
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