In Japan, which emulated Scotch whisky as the ideal, the single malts are the most revered as well. But not always. Hibiki is proudly, conspicuously, formed by precise and artful blending of different malt whiskies from different sources, aged in differing oak barrels, and then blended delicately with superbly light and lacy grain spirits for a distinctive style. And the element that makes it even more distinctive, indeed elevates it to true iconic status, is the inclusion in the blend of umeshu whisky.
Umeshu? Wazzat? Umeshu is a tradition in Japan, where it is common for families to make and age their own plum liqueur in small casks. Suntory does their own umeshu-cask aging to blend into the Hibiki. It’s deftly done so the aromatics are not heavy but are undeniably there, and after your first whiff of Hibiki you’ll have the memory of plum sauce fixed in your mind and sense memory.
There is fresh apple fruitiness and a wisp of spice as well, for this is a marvelously complex and multi-faceted whisky blend. The oak is actually a discreet background player here, yielding to the mellow fruit---for in another interesting touch, Hibiki is gently filtered (whisky puristas prefer the term “mellowed”) through fresh bamboo charcoal to further soften and…well, mellow…the textures and tastes.
And as always, if you're interested in the full article: http://www.examiner.com/article/as-good-as-it-gets-hibiki-12-japanese-blended-whisky