Via barrels handed down from one blender to the next, Hibiki 40 Year Old has been made possible thanks to decades of expertise and experience in the art of blending. The blenders carefully selected a variety of The House of Suntory’s ultra-high-aged whiskies produced by earlier generations.

Suntory’s Chief Blender Shinji Fukuyo crafted Hibiki 40 Year Old. “I would like people to enjoy the pure aroma that has been sharpened over the years; the tranquility of old temples and storehouses and the nostalgic warm feeling that accompanies them,” said Fukuyo.

The expression demonstrates the next chapter for Hibiki, where its signature “creating harmony” not only resonates with the Mizunara Japanese oak and the Spanish oak, but is further elevated with the aged American oak.

To honor Japanese craftsmanship, The House of Suntory has partnered with the Japanese washi artist Eriko Horiki to hand craft the washi label on the Hibiki 40 Year Old box. The bottle is fashioned from crystal glass, boasting 30 facets intricately crafted by a renowned glassware maker known as a trusted purveyor to the Japanese imperial family. It is decorated with traditional Japanese maki-e, mother-of-pearl inlay, and gold lacquer to pay homage to our heritage and tradition.

The wooden box (see above) is made of 12 kinds of Japanese wood such as pine and zelkova, and has 12 faces, representing the 12 months of the year. Around the box, flowers and grasses of the four seasons of Japan are depicted in maki-e lacquer, representing the changing seasons and linking the past and future through Hibiki.

Only 400 bottles of Hibiki 40 Year Old will be released, with each bottle retailing for $35,000.

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Suntory’s 5th Generation Chief Blender Shinji Fukuyo has pushed the boundaries of whisky making with this series, whose name translated means artisanship through a diversity of making, by using ingredients like wood, and processes that expand the previous Tsukuriwake (pronounced soo-koo-ree-wah-keh) range to showcase the diversity of whisky making.

“Tsukuriwake translates to ‘artisanship through a diversity of making’, which is truly what the 2024 Series represents with each of the four liquids included,” said Shinji Fukuyo, Chief Blender of Suntory. “While past releases from the collection focused mainly on the details of the casks, The 2024 Tsukuriwake Series emphasizes the elements of whisky making, such as ingredient selection, peat, and cask. This series is the ultimate showcase of the incredible diversity of choices that goes into the making of Yamazaki and Hakushu whiskies.”

In previous years, the series has mainly focused on the casks matured in the lands of Yamazaki. The 2024 Series reveals that the Tsukuriwake approach goes beyond diversifying the whiskies in multiple casks to incorporate elements of whisky-making, such as ingredient selection, peat and cask.

Yamazaki Golden Promise is made from golden promise barley, a standout grain cultivated in Scotland in the 1960s. Distilled in Japan since 2009 and aged in American Oak casks, it delivers a maltier, richer Yamazaki profile. It is perfect for more mature whiskies and has been added to Yamazaki 12 Year Old.

Islay Peat is often recognized as a distinctive character amongst scotch, with a softer and sweeter mouthfeel than Scotland’s mainland peat. The water and maturation process used to create Yamazaki Islay Peated Malt yields a balanced sweetness that complements the smoke.

Yamazaki 18 Year Old Mizunara (2024 Tsukuriwake Edition) introduces a limited-edition label for Suntory’s flagship Yamazaki 18 Year Old Mizunara. A long maturation period reveals its signature spiciness and incense-like sandalwood and aloe wood flavors that comprise this 100% Mizunara whisky.

Hakushu 18 Year Old Peated Malt (2024 Tsukuriwake Edition) introduces a limited-edition label for Suntory’s celebrated Hakushu 18 Year Old Peated Malt. To honor the blending at the Hakushu distillery, it enables The House of Suntory to produce more than 100 different malt whiskies. A lengthy maturation process in Hakushu’s  water reveals a distinct smokiness with spicy, peppery notes.

The Yamazaki 18 Year Old Mizunara and Hakushu 18 Year Old Peated Malt were launched last year for the House of Suntory’s 100th anniversary and were continued due to their popularity among consumers.

The House of Suntory’s 2024 Tsukuriwake Series’ Yamazaki Golden Promise and Yamazaki Islay Peated Malt retail for $465, while Yamazaki 18 Year Old Mizunara and Hakushu 18 Year Old Peated Malt retail for $1,500 and $1,200, respectively.

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The two limited releases mark the centennial whisky offerings from Suntory’s anniversary celebration, honoring a century since founder Shinjiro Torii established Japan’s very first malt whisky distillery in 1923.

Originally making its debut in 1989, Hibiki is a blend of various malt and grain whiskies from Suntory’s Yamazaki, Hakushu and Chita distilleries. The limited-edition 21-Year-Old is a marriage of malt and grain whiskies that are blended to create an orchestra of flavors. For this special centennial edition, rare Mizunara oak is placed at the forefront, profoundly influencing the blend while still maintaining Hibiki’s character and essence.

“For the limited-edition Hibiki 21-Year–Old, our team took on the challenge of crafting a new blend to celebrate our centennial,” says Suntory Chief Blender Shinji Fukuyo. “With meticulous precision, we managed to harness the challenging-yet-rewarding characteristics of Japanese Mizunara oak to accentuate the unique flavor profile for which our Hibiki whiskies are known. This special whisky showcases our continued dedication to craftsmanship at the House of Suntory.”

The centennial anniversary label design on the Hibiki 21-Year-Old bottle displays a gradual transition of colors that evoke the sunrise in Japan, a symbol of life, vitality and the passage of time. In Japanese culture, the sun holds deep meaning, as it nurtures nature and provides essential energy. It stands as a reminder to appreciate life and embrace the changes that come with each passing moment.

Hibiki Japanese Harmony bottle design brings the art of “Monozukuri” craftsmanship to life—it’s this same relentless pursuit for quality, ingenuity, and expressiveness that has inspired the design of each of the house’s centennial limited editions. The Hibiki Japanese Harmony centennial edition packaging features motifs of snow, moon and flowers representing Japan’s changing seasons. The ‘Kakehashi’ (bridge) depicted on the bottle links Japan and the world to the past, present and future. The water flowing underneath is pure and clear, symbolizing the cleansing of hardships and calamity. The ‘Kakehashi’ symbolizes the emotional connection of the Japanese people to their country’s unique seasonality and its significance in everyday life, fostering an appreciation for time that deeply resonates and inspires Hibiki.

Earlier this year, the House unveiled its centennial edition Yamazaki 18 Year Old Mizunara and Hakushu 18 Year Old Peated Malt whiskies. Limited 100th anniversary labels of the flagship Yamazaki 12 Year Old and Hakushu 12 Year Old were also released for the centennial.

The House of Suntory invites fans to join its new global membership program, offering exclusive benefits such as early access to new releases, priority invitations to consumer experiences*, distillery news, cultural insights and more. To sign up and learn more about the House of Suntory, please visit us online here.

Hibiki Japanese Harmony is bottled at 86 proof and is available for $200. Hibiki 21-Year-Old is bottled at 86 proof and is available for $5,000.

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Last year, the brand became a major sponsor of Carnegie Hall as part of the 2022–2023 season. As part of this partnership, Suntory supported the Notables Fall Celebration at the legendary New York City venue last December. Selected Notables Committee members and donors were invited to participate in a special whisky tasting before enjoying the evening’s festivities, which consisted of an exclusive concert in Weill Recital Hall and an after-party. Attendees were joined by Shinji Fukuyo, Suntory’s fifth-generation Chief Blender, for a seminar on the history behind the craftsmanship of Suntory’s whiskies and the reasons why whisky and music have more in common than one might think.

“The first blend of Hibiki in 1989 was inspired by music. Dr. Inatomi, Suntory’s third-generation Chief Blender, was a viola player,” said Fukuyo. “He blended Hibiki with Brahms’s Symphony No. 1 in mind.” Guests had the opportunity to sample our Hibiki Japanese Harmony as well as Yamazaki Sherry Cask and Hakushu Smoky—two key components used in the blending process for Hibiki Japanese Harmony. At Suntory, a variety of whiskies are distilled as components and used to create perfectly balanced whiskies—a process we call tsukuriwake, or “diversity of making.” Fukuyo shared more about his role as Chief Blender and the importance of carefully monitoring the quality of whisky during the long-aging process, determining the characteristics of each component, and blending them to create the perfect recipe. According to Fukuyo, “just as an orchestra is made from a harmony of instruments, our whisky is perfected by bringing the harmony of the diverse whiskies together.” After the seminar, participants enjoyed an intimate private concert that featured the Grammy Award–winning Attacca Quartet, followed by an exclusive after-party featuring premier spirits and beverages provided by Suntory and Beam Suntory.

At Suntory, they believe their commitment to enriching people’s lives goes beyond manufacturing consumer and luxury goods. Through this dedication, they aim to share their success with their customers, building long-lasting relationships in the spirit of “Giving Back to society,” while forging greater bonds of appreciation between people and the world around them. As part of those efforts, the brand established Suntory Hall more than 30 years ago as Tokyo’s first-ever dedicated concert hall for live classical music. Since then, Suntory has continued to share the joy of music with people across the globe, offering concerts as well as music education programs.

Recently, Suntory hosted an invite-only whisky tasting experience at Carnegie Hall.  House of Suntory Senior Brand Manager Taki Nakatani led the tasting which showcased the intersection between music and Suntory’s Yamazaki Tsukuriwake Collection, which includes Puncheon, Peated Malt, Spanish Oak, Mizunara and 12 Years. The tasting was followed by a Q&A session and a performance by alumni musicians from NYO-Jazz, Carnegie Hall’s national youth ensemble program.

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In honor of AAPI Heritage Month, which began on May 1, Legent and Todd Snyder will donate 50% of proceeds from every jacket crafted to Stop AAPI Hate, a national coalition addressing anti-Asian racism across the U.S. The limited-edition Bourbon Selvedge Denim Jacket, which first debuted last October and sold out in under 12 hours, is available on ToddSnyder.com. For the bourbon enthusiast, a special limited-edition bundle with a bottle of Legent will be released on ReserveBar.com.

“For this special edition of my signature Dylan Jacket, we brought together the best in Japanese denim and American craftsmanship, in the same way Legent mixes Japanese blending techniques with American distilling traditions,” says Todd Snyder. “As we celebrate the intersection of East and West with this partnership, we also want to take a moment to acknowledge the challenges faced by many in the Asian American and Pacific Islander community over the past several months and work to put an end to these terrible acts of hatred.”

Since launching in 2019, Legent is the product of two whisk(e)y legends. Expertly distilled by Fred Noe, seventh-generation Master Distiller of Jim Beam, and artfully blended by Shinji Fukuyo, fifth-ever Chief Blender of Suntory. The award-winning whiskey brings together the best of the East and West unlike any other.

“As a brand that is rooted in melding the best of Japanese and American craftsmanship, we are fully committed, along with Todd Snyder, to not only be celebrating but also standing behind the AAPI community, especially during this time of increased violence and racism,” says Victoria Russell, Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer at Beam Suntory. “While we recognize that there is still a lot of work to be done to end xenophobia and bigotry towards the AAPI community, we are hopeful that impactful organizations like Stop AAPI Hate will make a difference in putting an end to the horrible acts of discrimination this community is facing.”

Legent is available for $39.99.

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