A smaller Hibiki 12 for Japan & Europe
Post by Stefan of Tokyo Whisky Hub.
From this spring, Suntory will be seeking to further push the global presence of its flagship premium blended whisky “Hibiki 12”. It will come with a slightly different label, and will also be available in a slightly smaller size (500ml). After its debut at home on April 2nd, it will be rolled out in the UK and France, where it should be available towards the end of May.
Hibiki was created in 1989 to mark Suntory’s 90th anniversary. Twenty years later, in 2009, the company decided to introduce a 12-year old version to the European market, with the aim of building a global brand. A couple of months later, Suntory also started selling their 12yo in Japan. It has picked up numerous awards since and its popularity - both at home and abroad - keeps growing, witness last year’s 20% increase in total sales.
Hibiki 12 is a mild, smooth blend with a sweet overall profile and a slightly tart finish. It’s built around malt matured in ex-umeshu casks (American white oak casks used for a period of about 2 years to mature plum liqueur) which is, obviously, relatively young, but to give it extra depth, they also use a significant percentage of older components (over 30yo).
The introduction of a smaller sized bottle is an attempt to expand Hibiki’s fan base. Suntory is hoping it will encourage people who haven’t tried it yet to pick up a bottle for themselves whilst also making it a bit more appealing – economically, that is – as a potential gift.
From this spring, Suntory will be seeking to further push the global presence of its flagship premium blended whisky “Hibiki 12”. It will come with a slightly different label, and will also be available in a slightly smaller size (500ml). After its debut at home on April 2nd, it will be rolled out in the UK and France, where it should be available towards the end of May.
Hibiki was created in 1989 to mark Suntory’s 90th anniversary. Twenty years later, in 2009, the company decided to introduce a 12-year old version to the European market, with the aim of building a global brand. A couple of months later, Suntory also started selling their 12yo in Japan. It has picked up numerous awards since and its popularity - both at home and abroad - keeps growing, witness last year’s 20% increase in total sales.
The introduction of a smaller sized bottle is an attempt to expand Hibiki’s fan base. Suntory is hoping it will encourage people who haven’t tried it yet to pick up a bottle for themselves whilst also making it a bit more appealing – economically, that is – as a potential gift.
Comments
Thanks
J McGuire
http://www.forbes.com/sites/larryolmsted/2013/02/20/single-malt-whiskey-from-japan-the-next-big-thing/