Taste test: This fantastic Japanese whisky is back
Hibiki 12 is back after an 11-year absence, and a fresh taste test this fantastic Japanese whisky confirms it is a very good, welcome return for age-statement bottlings. Suntory is releasing the blend in limited numbers as a global travel retail exclusive, priced at $188 and scoring 92 points in Robb Report's weekly Taste Test column.
For luxury collectors who treat a home bar like a curated gallery, the Hibiki 12 comeback signals a broader shift. A decade ago, Japanese whisky demand outpaced supply, age statements vanished from shelves, and bottles became expensive trophies. Now Suntory is reversing that trend with one of its most beloved blends.
Key Takeaways
- Hibiki 12 returned in 2026 after being discontinued in 2015, joining a wave of age-statement Japanese whiskies reappearing on the market.
- The new release is a global travel retail exclusive in limited quantities, priced at $188 and bottled at 86 proof.
- The reformulated blend drops umeshu cask whisky and builds on Chita grain aged in American oak plus Yamazaki and Hakushu malts in Spanish oak and Japanese mizunara.
- Critic Jonah Flicker scored it 92, praising notes of orange, chocolate, blueberry, baking spice, vanilla, maple, honey, and warm biscuit.
- It is easier to find and drink than rare older Hibiki expressions, though the 17-year may be the next age statement to return.
Why Did Hibiki 12 Disappear for 11 Years?
When Japanese whisky skyrocketed in popularity roughly a decade ago, prices rose fast and distilleries said they could not keep pace with demand. Suntory discontinued the 12-year expression in 2015 and the 17-year in 2018, replacing numbered labels with non-age-statement releases like Hibiki Harmony.
That scarcity turned bottles into luxury status symbols—much like rare art in a Luxury Real Estate & Dream Homes setting where entertaining and collection culture overlap. Fans paid premium prices whenever bottles surfaced.
What Is Different About the New Hibiki 12?
The original Hibiki 12 blended whisky matured in Spanish and American oak with a small portion aged in umeshu casks—Japanese plum liqueur barrels. The 2026 version removes the umeshu component entirely.
Instead, Suntory builds the blend on Chita grain whisky aged in American oak, rounded out by Yamazaki and Hakushu malt whiskies aged in Spanish oak and Japanese mizunara. The brand says 15 years is the minimum time its whisky should spend in mizunara, so older stock likely sits in the blend even though the age statement reflects the youngest component.
How Does It Taste—and Where Can You Buy It?
In Robb Report's Taste Test review, Flicker recommends trying the whisky neat before sipping it over a large ice cube as the brand suggests. At 86 proof, it delivers rich orange, chocolate, blueberry, baking spice, vanilla, maple, honey, and warm biscuit on the palate.
Twelve years is a standard age for whisky outside American categories, so the $188 tag feels high but not exorbitant for a luxury pour. For now, you cannot simply walk into a neighborhood store—availability is limited to select global travel retail locations, though a wider release may follow.
What Does the Return Mean for Collectors?
Hibiki 12 may not match the dearly departed 17 or the superb 21, but it is far more approachable than the exceedingly rare 30- or 40-year expressions—the latter saw just 400 bottles at $35,000 each. For homeowners investing in a serious bar, this comeback is another sign that age statements are returning to Japanese whisky.
Whether the 17-year expression follows remains to be seen. For now, the bottom line from the tasting room is clear: Hibiki 12 is a very good whisky, and its return is worth celebrating.